Posts with tag: landlord licensing

Landlords Oppose Licensing Scheme in Weston-Super-Mare

Published On: July 19, 2016 at 11:42 am

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Landlords are joining forces to oppose a new licensing scheme in Weston-super-Mare, which has been created to improve poor quality rental properties in the area.

Landlords Oppose Licensing Scheme in Weston-Super-Mare

Landlords Oppose Licensing Scheme in Weston-Super-Mare

The scheme has been slammed for being “short-sighted” and nothing more than another “money-making exercise” at the expense of landlords.

Landlords have spoken out in opposition of the new license, which would cover Central ward and part of Hillside. More than 50 landlords have teamed up to create the Somerset Property Network to campaign against the scheme, which would cost landlords £320 for a five-year license.

The group has also organised a question time event at The Royal Hotel, Weston-super-Mare on 28th July. More details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/899330520178625/

A spokesperson for the group complained that all landlords are being “tarred with the same brush”, saying: “We do not need the council to tell us how to run our business and charge us for the privilege of doing so.

“So we have created this group for competent landlords across Somerset, where we can all get together and unite as one voice. We can also challenge the council as a united stronghold over landlord issues in the future.

“It is so short-sighted to lose landlord support, as the tenant only ends up back through the council doors costing North Somerset money.”

However, Councillor Ap Rees has defended the license, which would carry a minimum standard criteria. Anyone not meeting these standards could be prosecuted.

Rees comments: “We are determined to root out rogue landlords in this area of Weston and we need to be in a position to inspect all rental properties within the selected area. To do that, we have to cover the costs. The basic charge is the cost of the license and the compliance visit.

“We accept that sometimes it isn’t the landlords, it may be the tenants that cause the damage, but the only way to monitor that is to visit the property. Conscientious landlords have nothing to fear.”

Are you opposed to landlord licensing schemes? Join the group in campaigning against these plans.

Rogue Landlord in London Faces Prosecution for Overcrowded Property

Published On: May 3, 2016 at 11:21 am

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A rogue landlord in Wembley, northwest London faces prosecution for renting out an overcrowded property in the area.

Rogue Landlord in London Faces Prosecution for Overcrowded Property

Rogue Landlord in London Faces Prosecution for Overcrowded Property

Raids by Brent Council found 11 people living in the three-bedroom house, after the council committed to increasing efforts to ensure landlords with unlicensed properties are held accountable for their actions.

Enforcement teams entered the mid-terrace house to find 11 people packed inside. The property was also in a general state of disrepair, says the council, with the landlord looking to face prosecution.

Brent Council’s heightened enforcement activity in recent months has lead to up to five prosecutions per week since the start of the year.

In January, it was announced that the council would be one of 48 local authorities to receive a portion of £5m funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government to tackle rogue landlords.

Earlier this year, a raid on rogue landlords in Wembley found 23 people, including ten children, living in a semi-detached house. The council also raided a shed in the back of a second property, where it found evidence that it may have been illegally rented out as private accommodation.

The Cabinet Member for Housing at Brent Council, Councillor Margaret McLennan, comments: “These types of raids demonstrate the importance of our landlord licensing scheme. It ensures that properties are not overcrowded, are let out to an acceptable standard and are properly managed.

“It also reduces anti-social behaviour and illegally dumped rubbish, which can have a significant impact on local neighbourhoods and property prices. Everyone in the borough benefits from licensing.”1

This news arrives as Derby City Council announces plans for a new scheme to tackle rogue landlords. More about how the system would work and what it will do for the private rental sector in the city can be found here: /derby-proposes-new-measures-tackle-rogue-landlords/

1 https://www.brent.gov.uk/council-news/april-2016/wake-up-call-for-rogue-landlords/

Lewisham Landlords to Face Higher Licensing Fees

Published On: March 24, 2016 at 11:06 am

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Lewisham landlords of bedsits above shops could soon be hit with a licensing fee that is set to increase by 278%.

Each bedroom license would cost £500, with some landlords facing the maximum charge – a cap of £5,000 per building.

The claim comes from Richard Tacagni, the Managing Director of an independent consultancy, London Property Licensing.

He states that the new House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) license fee being brought in by Lewisham Council will be by far the highest in London, and probably in England.

Lewisham Landlords to Face Higher Licensing Fees

Lewisham Landlords to Face Higher Licensing Fees

Yesterday, we revealed that the letting agent fee structure for the Rent Smart Wales scheme is being changed to make it fairer to small firms.

The new fee in Lewisham was agreed last week as part of the additional licensing scheme expected to be enforced by this autumn, and covering all HMOs above commercial premises.

The new scheme will require around 1,800 properties to be licensed, containing almost 4,200 separate lettings.

According to Tacagni, Lewisham Council has confirmed that any flat shared by three or more unrelated individuals will need a license if there are commercial premises on a lower floor in the building.

The fee will be £500 per unit.

Tacagni comments: “Whilst a £500 license fee may at first appear reasonable, we understand that this is actually the fee per letting within a property, i.e. a single person occupying one room on a separate tenancy.

“The council has said that the fee would be capped at £5,000 per property for ten or more lettings.

“This dramatic increase in fees will see the existing mandatory HMO licensing fee rise from £180 (frozen since 2012) to £500 per letting, an increase of 278%.

“The fee to license an HMO with five individual room lets would rise from £900 to £2,500.”1

A spokesperson for Lewisham Council says: “We are committed to ensure that Lewisham has a thriving private rented market that provides good quality housing for tenants and that landlords are fully supported to maintain good standards in their properties.

“This licensing scheme is a key tool in achieving this. We have set the fee to ensure that we fully meet the costs of running an effective licensing scheme that is good for tenants and good for responsible landlords.”

They add: “We have a range of qualifying discounts and reductions that will continue. All the income raised will be reinvested in this scheme to improve the private rented sector in Lewisham, which is huge and growing every day.”1 

We will continue to provide all landlords with updates and information regarding the buy-to-let market and private rental sector.

1 http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/landlords-to-be-hit-with-licensing-fee-set-to-rise-by-nearly-300/

 

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

Published On: February 8, 2016 at 12:15 pm

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Liverpool City Council has issued just 2% of license applications since it launched its compulsory landlord licensing scheme in April 2015.

This news arrives after a Freedom of Information Request from the National Landlords Association (NLA).

Comparatively, the London Borough of Newham has issued 74% of its applications over the same period. Its licensing scheme has resulted in over 600 prosecutions,

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

Just 2% of Landlord Licenses Issued in Liverpool

more than 500 arrests, over 100 rent repayment orders and 26 banning orders since its launch in January 2013.

Recently, Liverpool City Council announced its co-regulation partners for administering the scheme. Find out who they are here: /liverpool-city-council-partners-with-arla-nals-and-the-rla/

It is obligatory for all private landlords in Liverpool to apply for a license. The scheme was introduced to ensure a level of quality and proper practice in the private rental sector.

In order to be issued with a license, landlords must declare any convictions and their rental properties must meet fire, electric and gas safety standards and be in a good state of repair.

Licenses cost £400 for the first property and £350 for any additional properties. Landlords that are members of the city’s accreditation scheme, CLASS, or members of the council’s co-regulation partner groups receive a 50% discount on licenses.

The Chairman of the NLA, Carolyn Uphill, comments on the shocking statistic: “These findings show that Liverpool City Council can’t cope with this scheme, which is precisely what we said would happen when they proposed it almost two years ago.

“Quite frankly, it’s embarrassing. If the council can’t process applications or inspect properties, then how can it improve property standards for tenants?

“At this rate, it will take 13 years to inspect the city’s private rented housing and 38 years to license them all, so the scheme’s co-regulation partners have got their work cut out.”

She insists: “The NLA has opposed this scheme from the very start. We do not regulate our members, so it would be inappropriate for us to play any part in a scheme that effectively polices landlords on the council’s behalf.”1 

Landlords in Liverpool are reminded that they must apply for a license.

1 http://www.landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/embarrassing-two-cent-landlord-licenses-issued-liverpool-council

 

 

Liverpool City Council Partners with ARLA, NALS and the RLA

Published On: January 13, 2016 at 12:50 pm

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Liverpool City Council has partnered with the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) and the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) for its landlord licensing scheme.

Last year, the council introduced the country’s first city-wide licensing scheme for rental properties. However, its costs have been criticised for being too high.

As councils are not allowed make profits from licensing schemes, many have questioned why Liverpool’s scheme is so expensive.

The new agreement with the three industry organisations means that landlords belonging to any of these groups will receive a 50% discount on licensing fees, taking the charge to £200 per property, rather than the standard rate of £400 for the first property and £350 for each subsequent home.

Liverpool City Council Partners with ARLA, NALS and the RLA

Liverpool City Council Partners with ARLA, NALS and the RLA

Councillor Frank Hont, Cabinet Member for Housing at Liverpool City Council, explains the need for the partnerships: “When we launched the scheme, we were clear that we wanted to work with the private rented sector to help them comply with the scheme and find ways of giving discounts to those that are committed to meeting the standards.

“I am delighted that ARLA, NALS and the RLA have all come on board. It is a win-win for everyone, because their members benefit from a reduced fee and we are able to target our resources at those landlords who we know aren’t meeting the standards.

“This is all part of our drive to improve the quality of housing in the city and make sure that our residents have access to good quality accommodation.”1 

The Managing Director of ARLA, David Cox, comments on the agreement: “We are really pleased to become a co-regulator for the Liverpool selective licensing scheme.

“We are glad Liverpool City Council has seen the importance of distinguishing between the professional market and those who the scheme is designed to remove from Liverpool’s rental market.

“ARLA welcomes this initiative and hopefully, by giving landlords who use our members a 50% discount on licensing fees, it will encourage more landlords to use licensed letting agents.”1

Isobel Thomson, the Chief Executive of NALS, adds: “We are delighted to be part of a co-regulatory partnership with Liverpool City Council for their selective licensing scheme. We welcome the recognition they have given to NALS agents and the strict criteria they meet in relation to customer service and consumer protection.

“By offering a discounted licensing fee for those agents who come under a co-regulatory partnership, it is a clear indicator to landlords of which agents they should be using.”1 

And the Chief Executive of the RLA, Andrew Goodacre, also says: “The RLA is the only landlord association approved to offer a co-regulation alternative to those landlords in Liverpool who wish to continue to manage their portfolio themselves.

“There are a growing number of landlords who are choosing to manage their properties directly, and our scheme is an ideal vehicle for self-regulation whilst still providing significant savings on the license fees.”1

Around 8,500 landlords, owning about 39,500 properties, have already started the application process, which came into effect in April last year.

The council has also begun issuing the first set of licenses.

1 http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/liverpool-city-slashes-licensing-costs-for-members-of-arla-nals-and-rla/

 

Redbridge Landlord Licensing Scheme Refused

Published On: December 23, 2015 at 2:43 pm

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A proposal to introduce a borough-wide landlord licensing scheme in Redbridge, east London has been refused by the Secretary of State.

Redbridge Landlord Licensing Scheme Refused

Redbridge Landlord Licensing Scheme Refused

Redbridge Council says it is “extremely disappointed” at the decision to deny the implementation of the scheme.

Over 1,700 people were surveyed during the consultation period, of which 463 were landlords or letting agents. Many tenants and residents of Redbridge were supportive of the scheme.

A doorstep survey of more than 500 residents was also conducted, of which 86% of respondents supported the plans.

The council states that evidence provided to the Secretary of State shows a significant amount of anti-social behaviour in the borough is related to private rental housing.

The council hoped a borough-wide scheme would give it “the vital tools to help ensure that landlords of private rented properties take responsibility for standards and safety of their property, and deal with any problems caused by their tenants”.

In their response to the council’s application, the Secretary of State claimed that although the case for a borough-wide scheme had not been met, it is clear that in some wards of the borough, there is a link between anti-social behaviour and private rental properties.

Redbridge Council will now consider whether to revise the evidence base to determine if it will consult on a smaller scheme.

Leader of the council, Councillor Athwal, says: “We are extremely disappointed that, despite evidence provided, our application has been turned down to allow us to implement a borough-wide scheme for private property licensing.

“We strongly believe that a borough-wide scheme is vital to hold landlords to account for the actions of their tenants, including noise, rubbish and vandalism and other anti-social behaviour related to some private rented properties.

“Without a borough-wide scheme, it will be impossible for us to readily identify who is responsible for a property and deal proactively with poor standards of rented accommodation. Sadly, we will now have to go back to the drawing board and consider our options.”1 

1 https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2015/12/council-disappointed-as-licensing-scheme-is-refused