0:01 AM, 22nd May 2024, About 5 months ago 5
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Despite the council’s cabinet member for housing recognising that most landlords offer good quality housing, a selective licensing scheme will be implemented in Lambeth.
And it will cost landlords a whopping £923 per property.
Lambeth says its new scheme will target private rented properties to improve living conditions and tackle criminal landlords.
It will also, the council claims, deal with anti-social behaviour problems.
There are four wards in the initial scheme – but Lambeth says it’s already looking to expand this to another 19 wards.
The council’s cabinet member for safer communities, Cllr Mahamed Hashi, says that Lambeth is one of the most deprived boroughs in London for housing affordability, overcrowding and homelessness.
He said: “Privately renting is often the only option for residents who can’t access social housing and aren’t able to purchase their own property.
“This scheme will see more support for vulnerable residents, help reduce overcrowding and improved premises conditions.
“Ultimately, it will lead to better housing for our residents.”
He added: “Whilst most landlords provide good quality, safe accommodation, there are some who take advantage of their tenants or don’t know what their responsibilities are.
“Licensing will help us crack down on rogue landlords and take decisive action against housing offences.”
Cllr Hashi says that licensing offers an opportunity to investigate cases of mould and damp and ensure that privately rented properties comply with the law.
The new scheme, which runs for five years, will start in September, for landlords in Knights Hill, Streatham Common and Vale, Streatham Hill East and Streatham St Leonards.
This scheme is designated as ‘Selective Licensing Designation 1’ and will require a license to legally rent properties to families or a maximum of two unrelated tenants.
The council is already looking to extend the scheme to another 19 wards as it strives ‘to make Lambeth a more welcoming place for everyone’.
Lambeth’s private rented sector comprises roughly a third of its dwellings, with official data suggesting that around 9,400 properties have a serious home hazard.
However, the council has received more than 10,000 ASB complaints within the PRS over three years.
The licensing scheme received backing from nearly two-thirds of residents and businesses during a public consultation.
Meanwhile, London boroughs Lewisham and Islington are also introducing new selective licensing schemes.
In Lewisham, the scheme will cover an additional 20,000 properties from 1 July.
The cabinet member for better homes, neighbourhoods and homelessness, Cllr Will Cooper said: “Selective licensing will ensure Lewisham’s privately rented housing is of a higher standard and comes with better security for renters, who make up a quarter of residents in our borough.”
Islington’s expanded scheme, which came into effect on 20 May, applies to more than 5,000 properties in Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise wards.
Cllr Una O’Halloran, Islington Council’s executive member for homes and neighbourhoods, said: “Private renters are under huge pressure, now more than ever, and we’re determined to stand alongside them.
“While most of Islington’s landlords are responsible and take good care of people’s homes, we hear from hundreds of renters who don’t feel safe or listened to, while their rents go up and up.
“This new scheme will make sure they have the protection, and the homes, they deserve.”
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Reluctant Landlord
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Sign Up7:50 AM, 22nd May 2024, About 5 months ago
...and all this will make the situation worse. All of the SL schemes limit occupancy levels.
In the article it states that over occupancy is already an issue in these areas. So what of the larger immigrant families/multi generational/smaller families sharing, or just families sharing in a bid to keep rental costs down?
I've already had this issue in SL of my own - meaning now a large 4 bed house cannot be occupied by a larger family of 4 or 6 for example. While the LAW says a large front room (which is totally separate from another reception room) can be used as a sleeping room, SL says only bedrooms can be used for sleeping.
I have already turned away two families of 6 and one of 7. The irony? One of the families of 6 are currently taking up 2 x hotel rooms in em/temp accommodation with zero space and no cooking facilities and costing the local council over £150 a DAY, but apparently that's perfectly acceptable....AND the council would only consider giving a deposit and RIA for the family IF they could somewhere private and IF the LL offered a min 12 months tenancy! Total lunacy!
On a side issue this is going to be a real problem come the RRB and there wont be fixed term tenancies at all.... there is going to be an unprecedented number of people in em/temp housing...they haven't seen anything yet!
caringlandlord
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Sign Up10:57 AM, 22nd May 2024, About 5 months ago
Surely this cost, and it's a biggy, will simply be passed on to the tenant?
Why aren't these schemes funded by the local authority or government?
When my council impose their selective licensing scheme I shall be passing the whole cost on to my tenants as it will otherwise substantially hit my income.
NewYorkie
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Sign Up11:11 AM, 22nd May 2024, About 5 months ago
We all saw this coming. Councils need money, and private landlords are low-hanging fruit.
There is nothing to stop all UK councils doing the same, and in the same breath, they come begging landlords for properties.
This will not touch the rogue landlords. Rather than punishing decent landlords, why not set up an anonymous whistle-blower website [cheap as chips!], investigate only the rogue landlords reported, and hit them hard in their pockets.
LaLo
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Sign Up11:45 AM, 22nd May 2024, About 5 months ago
I should think councils hate good LLs as there’s no money in it for them. Bad LLs are far better as they can be hit with nice juicy fines! Why can’t license’s be just a £1 or even free.
, ours are just shy of £1000 - for what!? Tenants don’t come into it!
PAUL BARTLETT
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Sign Up7:36 AM, 24th May 2024, About 4 months ago
The one useful thing that RRB could have achieved is to replace these expensive selective licencing Scams with a national landlord and tenant register because HMRC already know who has property income.
Instead, this activist deluded government decided that only landlords should be registered because that's their idea of fairness.
Just as well that RRB will be washed out by the election. My current MP will be getting more feedback on what changes are needed to get my vote...
The other lot have been clear that they will ram in RRB without the court Reform to make it workable so that's unacceptable.