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Council Intends to Clampdown on Rogue Landlords
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Unscrupulous and rogue landlords are undoubtedly a hotly debated topic. From landlords who allow their tenants to live in poor conditions, to landlords who invade the privacy of their tenants, filming them and their most intimate moments, it is seemingly an unresolved issue.
However, there is hope, as Great Yarmouth Council has proposed that they will clampdown on these rogues who allow their tenants to fester in such unsatisfactory housing standards, by introducing a selective Licensing Scheme for private landlords in the local area.
Subsequent to a consultation period, which closed last month, the council’s intentions to introduce the scheme covering parts of the Nelson Ward, with a view of improving the housing and social conditions for private sector tenants in this location, while tackling unethical landlords.
A recommendation report on Selective Licensing has recently been published by the council, announcing that the scheme will be coming into effect at the beginning on the next year and will continue to run for five years.
Under the proposed scheme, landlord of private rental properties within the local area would be legally obliged to apply for a licence requiring them to meet particular conditions around health and safety and standards.
A standard application fee will be £90, with a reduction to £70 for either an ‘Early application reduced fee’ (an application made within the first three months of designation), or Selective Licensing applicants who are accredited by the National Landlords Association (NLA).
There will be financial penalties for landlords who fail to comply with conditions or simply fail to apply for a licence.
Policy Director for the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) David Smith, commented: “Criminal landlords who fail to provide secure and safe accommodation to their tenants will not come forward,” he says. “Councils need a much smarter system to find and root out those who will never willingly make themselves known.”
Landlords, what are your thoughts on the scheme and what meassures do you think should be taken to crackdown on rogues?
