Council claims selective licensing scheme will support landlords

Ldn Borough of Croydon’s initial literature said landlords and tenants would be supported.
But when a tenant (Housing Benefit) changed her mind about moving out they said they didn’t assist landlords.
They did assist, but only after I showed them the initial Licensing docs and threatened to “see them in court for breach of contract”. Someone was there within 10 minutes, lol But the same person then also assisted the tenant, and gave each of us different/conflicting advise.

What is important is to see where they state what the monies raised will be, and will not be used for.

Croydon Council was audited and as the monies could not be traced were refused permission to re-new their licensing scheme.

hahahah – ‘support’ = screw over

We could offer to support councild by taking money off them. I wonder how many takers we would get?

I will be one of the landlords impacted by this and took part in one of their webinar consultation sessions.

I asked why this was necessary given that they introduced additional licensing 30 August 2021, to then row back by revoking the requirement on s257 properties – buildings converted into self-contained flats, where less than two thirds of the flats are owner occupied and the conversion of the building into flats does not meet the relevant building regulations.
https://www.londonpropertylicensing.co.uk/shock-as-westminster-city-council-partially-revoke-their-additional-licensing-scheme-after-just-one-month/

I also highlighted that the licensing guidelines require them to consider what other courses of action available to it that would achieve the same objective, but there was little evidence of this.

When I asked what landlord events or training they did to engage with landlords, the answer was nothing. I suggested that they should start doing landlord meetings and communication, it is best practice, to be told they would consider it.

I also suggested that launching such a scheme while the RRB was progressing through parliament and was expected to receive Royal Ascent within 12 months showed undue haste, as the RRB has provisions for the landlord and property registers, so would provide the information required to allow them to use their existing powers to concentrate their resources on criminal landlords and non-compliant landlords.

I wrapped up by highlighting the paradox that one of the reasons quoted in their presentation is that tenants are paying high rents, while licensing costs will be passed onto all tenants through rent increases.

Just in case you were wondering, the council has made no effort to reach out to landlords or provide landlord events or training. It is beyond belief that having gathered my information in their consultation, they chose not to use the information to advise me that they have chosen to bring in their (not very) selective licensing scheme.

The team at IHowz will be raising their concerns and asking them to reconsider their decision.

It’s just another tax or money grab on Landlords

Definition of Selective Licensing – can’t remember where I saw it!
“Legalised Theft to feed bankrupt councils – packaged as a scheme when it’s really a tax (theft)”.
Or as I like to refer to it as – Mob Money – similar to that extracted by the Mafia!

I own a student flat in a PBSA in Leicester. There are 255 units. LCC is charging us £328,950 collectively. LCC must be buying gold quill pens for their administrators. This is, without the shadow of a doubt, robbery in plain sight and we feel impotent against the big money machinery.