Council to charge £1,000 selective licensing fee

A council will go ahead with its selective licensing scheme set to come into force in April, requiring landlords to pay a £1,000 licence fee.

North East Lincolnshire Council has confirmed it is in the process of entering into a contract with a delivery partner to implement the scheme in part of the East Marsh area of Grimsby.

The council said the delivery contract will be funded entirely through licence fees.

Improve living conditions

The council claims selective licensing will help tackle anti-social behaviour and deal with non-compliant landlords.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for Housing, Infrastructure and Transport, said: “The introduction of Selective Licensing in the East Marsh supports the strategic aims of this Council by supporting a Stronger Economy and Stronger Communities.

“We are very pleased to welcome a delivery partner for the scheme and we are now working together to ensure that we can implement Selective Licensing in April to improve living conditions in the East Marsh.”

The council say the licence fee will cost £1,000 but accredited landlords will receive a discount of £275 per licence provided they meet the accreditation conditions, which include training courses.

Landlords expressed concerns around cost of the scheme

North Lincolnshire Council carried out a consultation to decide whether to implement the scheme and claimed 60% of the 202 residents who took part in the survey were in support of the scheme.

However, the council admits the majority of landlords disagreed with the scheme and expressed concerns around the costs of the scheme and the impact of rents.

However, the council say they have “reviewed the fee structure and delivery model to ensure the scheme is run efficiently.”

Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has previously warned councils must not profit from selective licensing schemes.

However, a previous report by Property118, reveals Nottingham City Council spent millions of pounds on selective licensing and failed to ringfence the scheme.