Council’s landlord licensing schemes begin after landlords lose legal fight

Landlords in one town face new landlord licensing rules from this week after a court battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court – which the landlords lost.

Luton Borough Council will now introduce selective licensing in the town centre and Park Town areas, while additional licensing for HMOs will apply across the whole town.

The decision follows the Supreme Court’s refusal of an appeal by Luton Landlords and Letting Agents Limited, ending a long-running challenge to the council’s licensing plans.

The schemes will require licences for HMOs across Luton and certain single-tenancy homes in designated areas.

Defending landlord legal challenge

Councillor Alia Khan, the council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “Successfully defending the legal challenge means we can now move forward and continue making meaningful improvements for residents across Luton.

“I believe that every resident deserves a safe, secure and comfortable home. That is not negotiable.

“These measures are an important part of our wider work to improve housing conditions and tackle issues that impact local neighbourhoods.”

She added: “Most landlords are responsible. But for the ones that aren’t this gives us the power to act.

“We do recognise the valuable role responsible landlords play and so have introduced an early bird period to support applications.”

Cost of landlord licenses

The council says that license application fees will range from £122 to £366, although landlords applying during the early bird period will pay £150.

It estimates set-up costs of up to £50,000, which it says will be recovered through licence fees.

Current mandatory licensing rules apply to HMOs with five or more households, but Luton’s new schemes will extend regulation further into the town’s private rent sector.

The additional licensing scheme will be introduced borough-wide within three months, while selective licensing will focus on areas where the council says particular property types require closer oversight.

Schemes will support powers

Landlords with eligible residential accommodation will need to apply for a licence for each property covered by the schemes.

To obtain a licence, they will have to meet specified standards and comply with conditions covering how homes are managed.

The council says the schemes will support its existing enforcement powers and help address poor property management, anti-social behaviour and environmental concerns.

There’s more information about Luton’s selective and additional licensing schemes on the council’s website.