Nottingham inspecting on average 3 houses per year per member of staff
by Mick Roberts
Nottingham Selective Licensing has inspected 600 houses in 3 years with 76 staff. One man in an MOT station could have inspected 6240 cars in that time.
Nottingham Selective Licensing has just published its mid-scheme review.
They’re inspecting on average 3 houses per year per member of staff. Most businesses would go bust at that rate.
So 1 staff is doing 1 inspection every 4 months. How is that improving houses?
270 houses have been improved.
There have been 22,000 Licence applications at an average of let’s say £700 per licence. That’s £15.5 million from licence payers from tenants rent increases to fix 270 houses!
Had licensing not been introduced, the Council would still have improved roughly 270 houses (which sounds low anyway).
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Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3508 - Articles: 5
2:30 PM, 26th July 2021, About 5 years ago
I guess you had a reply from your FOI request then? lol!
Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 29
4:40 PM, 26th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Have they got 76 people all doing inspections then, Mick? That seems like a lot.
Member Since January 2020 - Comments: 19
9:46 AM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Hi Mick,
I totally agree with this and tbh have had a letter yesterday myself to inspection on of my properties and they have advised that the EPC is incorrect and below the requirement and also a few additional points
They are asking for me to provide information where all the available info is online at EPC register
They also have decided to inspect the one property where I have served a section 21, tenant refuses entry or inspections or trades men in to do work
I think having spend 10k on fees it’s a sham and not proving to be working and forcing rents too high for tenants due to ongoing costs associated
Member Since May 2021 - Comments: 24
9:54 AM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Hastings (where I operate) has had its application to extend selective licensing rejected.
They failed in my opinion to demonstrate the value of what they were doing. No communication with landlords, no regular statistics or visible key success measures.
They said six people would lose their jobs. Hastings has a population of about 80,000, with a lot of PRS property. But the licensing only covered areas deemed to be a problem.
Apart from the lack of transparency, my complaint was also that they wanted a five-year licence paid up front in one go. No stage payments.
A £10,000 financial hit in my case. But not now….
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1570 - Articles: 16
10:45 AM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Council should expend more effort on inspecting and enforcing, – than bureaucratic Licensing schemes.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2188 - Articles: 2
11:50 AM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 27/07/2021 – 10:45
Bureaucracy is the spice of Council life, how would a Local Authority justify its esistance without a generous dash of bureaucracy?
Member Since September 2014 - Comments: 166
1:16 PM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Or put another way: £5,555 for every house improved.
That may be more than the cost of the improvements …
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
4:19 PM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by DSR at 26/07/2021 – 14:30
No,
They’ve actually published this & glossed it over to make it look Council favourable.
https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/media/3371933/selective-licensing-mid-scheme-review.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3j6UMPZx8D3zDzZKhwFOTPSU-jbsM9xioHM2uNaM0-OrdMW0305QcVHDc
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
4:19 PM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Leics Landlord at 26/07/2021 – 16:40
They had 76 staff at start of scheme, as we know, they ain’t doing inspections, they creating havoc with checking paperwork which doesn’t make tenants houses better, inspections would.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
4:19 PM, 27th July 2021, About 5 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Andy at 27/07/2021 – 09:46
Yes annoying Andy, they ask for stuff that costs us time & takes time away from doing stuff like locating tenants boiler clock etc. when broke.
I’ve said this same story before:
About 3 weeks ago, I had a woman’s boiler clock break. I had to locate new one, was gonna be about 15 mins.
Licensing said I MUST do this variation form. It’s to tell Licensing my new houses that are now with a Letting Agent.
They said I must do within 2 weeks of the change or a fine. Some were with a Letting Agent 12 months before, so no one’s life has suffered cause I han’t told Licensing this.
I said I MUST get this boiler clock or woman has no heating or water.
Licensing said Dun’t matter, form must be done or risk of fine.
How is this helping the tenant? How are tenants lives getting any better cause we doing admin for the council?
Tenants lives with good Landlords are getting worse cause of Licensing.
That’s unbelievable wanting to inspect where clearly u want tenant out, so there will be problems. Then they will want 5k of repairs only for leaving tenant to smash up.
Yes 2 bed rents in Bulwell Nottingham were £475 3 years ago Pre-Licensing. They now £650.