Council threatens to take control of landlord properties

Council threatens to take control of landlord properties

9:28 AM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago 33

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With the deadline approaching for its selective licensing scheme, a London council is threatening to take control of landlords’ property if they don’t apply in time.

Newham says its deadline to apply for a license is at the end of this month and landlords who don’t apply risk an unlimited fine for not having a mandatory license.

It adds they also face having control of their properties taken away.

The council says it will be stepping up its enforcement and inspection visits in September and will take action against any landlord with an unlicensed property.

Along with having control of their properties removed, landlords could also be facing a rent repayment order of up to 12 months’ rent to the ‘Council or their tenants’.

‘Our pioneering Selective Licensing scheme’

Carleene Lee-Phakoe, the council’s cabinet member for housing needs, homelessness and private rented sector, said: “Renters in Newham deserve to live in safe, well-managed and well-maintained homes, and that’s what our pioneering Selective Licensing scheme aims to ensure.

“I’m grateful to the majority of our landlords who have successfully applied for a license, and call on those who still need to apply to take action now.

“Our teams will be out and about in September to check for unlicensed properties, so I encourage anyone without a license to get their application in without delay.”

The last selective licensing scheme ended in February which saw 42,000 properties being licensed and 70% of these were subject to audits or visits.

The council found 2,620 licence breaches between 2018 and July this year and 387 fines of between £5,000 to £30,000 were handed out.

‘Process of taking control of properties away from landlords’

When Newham Council was approached by Property118 to explain the process of taking control of properties away from landlords it pointed us to the Shelter website.

That’s where there is an explanation of ‘Interim management orders’.

The site spells out:

‘Interim and Final Management Orders are to be used when the licensing regime fails. They allow the local authority to take over the management of a house in multiple occupation (HMO) where there is no fit and proper person available to manage it.

‘A local authority may make an Interim Management Order (IMO) to ensure that immediate steps are taken to protect the health, safety or welfare of occupiers and adjoining occupiers/owners and any other steps are taken to ensure the proper management of the house pending further action.’


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Comments

NewYorkie

13:06 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tony Johnson at 21/08/2023 - 12:55I did hear a few inside 'rumours' about the Grenfell fiasco. Yes, most illegal sub-lets, way more people in there than should have been. Also, little was made of the actual cause of the fire. But it doesn't excuse the developers and housing association from reducing the cost and sharing the saving, by using cheaper products.
The government simply told the council to give the 'victims' whatever they wanted and not question it, even though most were not registered tenants. Large houses on Ealing Common... etc.

Peter

13:27 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

In the main the system has worked well for hundreds of years. Yes there will always be rogue Landlords and Tenants which need dealing with but Licensing and Renter's Reform Bill is not the answer. All this will do is force more Landlords to sell up or add the extra costs on to the rent. Either way it will be the Tenants who lose out while your LA reaps in millions.

TheMaluka

15:15 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tony Phillips at 21/08/2023 - 15:05
"Which is NOT a deposit."
Until some judge, prompted by a legal aid solicitor, decides that it is.

Harvey Glenn

16:59 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

So if I'm reading the stats correctly there were approx 500 breaches of the selective licensing each year over the 5 years. Based on 42000 properties that is about 1.2% of private rented properties per annum whilst 98.8% conformed.

Which in itself proves there is no justification for SL schemes other than to fill council coffers

NewYorkie

17:45 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tony Johnson at 21/08/2023 - 12:55
I thought I had replied to this. Obviously, my [true] comments were deemed inappropriate

LaLo

18:47 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

My council brought it in years ago but didn’t publish it! If I hadn’t kept an eye on things I would never have known and would probably have ended up in a shop doorway - but at least the council would have a nice juicy fine paid - poor things! I sold up.

Neil Patterson

21:01 PM, 21st August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 21/08/2023 - 17:45
Sorry we have no record of your comment so it may not have saved

richard west

7:30 AM, 22nd August 2023, About 9 months ago

We had a fully-licensed HMO in Birmingham. One requirement was a fire extinguisher. The council house next door had a kitchen fire. The council had not supplied a fire extinguisher. Our tenants put out the fire with our extinguisher. We suggested the council might like to replace our fire extinguisher. Still waiting for their reply! Do council houses have to meet the same licensing standards? If not, why not ?

Londonlad

9:02 AM, 22nd August 2023, About 9 months ago

My Newham licence for 3 bed house permits only one household so traditional house sharing for youngsters is prohibited without planning consent and HMO licence. No wonder rents are soaring, great success Newham and well done dishing out all those fines and getting rid of the rogues. I just wish you could spell licence .

Mick Roberts

10:47 AM, 22nd August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 21/08/2023 - 11:54
Well said New Yorkie

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