Damning report exposes council’s mishandling of selective licensing fees
2 years ago | 23 comments
Council threatens hefty fines as landlords struggle with faulty licensing system
9:57 AM, 28th February 2024, 2 years ago
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Nottingham City Council has produced a video to help landlords learn how to complete its selective licensing application process – despite the website being faulty.
The council is now threatening landlords who fail to complete their licence application on time with a whopping £1,233 fine.
One landlord previously told Property118 that applying for a selective licence with the council’s online system is a ‘complete waste of money’.
Why not make the website user-friendly in the first place?
Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlord’s housing benefit tenants, told Property118 that the council are charging £340 more for not completing the licence on time.
He said: “The licensing website is so hard to complete that approximately 13,000 landlords have not completed the online form potentially at risk of a huge fine.
“It’s that bad that the licensing department has now had to bring a video instructing landlords how to complete the form.”
Mr Roberts added: “Think about how much it costs to make the video and why not make the website user-friendly in the first place?”
Mr Roberts says the more the council attacks landlords many will simply decide to sell up.
He said: “Licensing was bought in to make life better for tenants instead, it’s constantly restricting their supply.
“You got one side of the council begging us for houses and then the attack side. They need to get together & sort this out! Landlords have had enough and many will simply decide to walk away and sell up.”
Avoid substantial fee increase
The council in a statement said: “Act promptly to avoid substantial fee increases.
“If the council needs to chase you for your application, you may incur the ‘Less Compliant’ fee of £1,233. We want to help you sidestep unnecessary costs and ensure a seamless licensing process.”
You can watch the video on how to complete the selective licensing form below.
Tags:
housing standards, landlord compliance, Landlord regulations, Nottingham City Council, property licensing, rental property, Selective Licensing
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2 years ago | 19 comments
Selective licensing blamed as Nottingham faces alarming homelessness figures
2 years ago | 35 comments
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 147
10:11 AM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Incompetance in the guise of socialism..you pay..because..because….we say so.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2190 - Articles: 2
10:25 AM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Nottingham Councillors should have to prove they are fit and proper with no criminal convictions.
Member Since February 2016 - Comments: 1056
10:37 AM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by John MacAlevey at 28/02/2024 – 10:11
More like “You pay because we need the money, we’re broke”.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
10:58 AM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by TheMaluka at 28/02/2024 – 10:25
You telling me. We now on our 4th or 5th Councillor in charge of Licensing & he knows nothing of renting houses out.
Member Since April 2023 - Comments: 11
11:06 AM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
what utter ridiculous load of tripe…. more useless work for the growing numbers of useless local government workers….. who are probably sat at home on their ar$e….the cost will be passed on no doubt
Member Since January 2016 - Comments: 67
1:46 PM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
These people are ruining communities they oversee. Can’t landlords in Notts get together and stage a peaceful protest or apply for a judicial review of this?
These marxists shouldn’t be allowed to ruin lives unchallenged!
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
3:58 PM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by SirAA at 28/02/2024 – 13:46
Nottingham Council have been found to be in the wrong that many times, currently £8 million a year homeless & increasing. Yet the Council still press ahead with their Anti Landlord agenda.
Member Since December 2023 - Comments: 1574
6:24 PM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
They cannot be so thick that they do not understand that it is the tenants that pay. Maybe indirectly but they are the customer and it is they who must pay the costs of providing the service.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
6:55 PM, 28th February 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 28/02/2024 – 18:24
Nottingham Council really are that thick. There are some good people in Homeless and Housing Benefits, but lot of the others in Care, Housing, Licensing, even the Legal dept. are PROPER thick. Bang your head against wall stuff
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1435 - Articles: 1
11:19 AM, 2nd March 2024, About 2 years ago
The only way to get LAs AND the Gov to sit up and listen, and stop unnecessary landlord bashing a regulation, is for ALL PRS landlords to give 3 month s21 notices to all their tenants on the same date with the same expiry date.
I suggested this as soon as the RR bill raised its head.
Then 4.7m people would need to be housed by LAs, perhaps more now.
An opportunity sadly missed I think.