Landlord licencing scheme boundaries released by Newham Council

Landlord licencing scheme boundaries released by Newham Council

9:06 AM, 10th July 2012, About 12 years ago 38

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Details of the highly controversial Landlord Licencing Scheme boundaries have been released by Newham Council. As of January 2013 it seems likely that landlords within the catchment area could have to pay landlord licencing scheme fees of as much as £500 a year for each property they wish to let or risk fines of up to £20,000. Do not be fooled into thinking this only affects landlords with property in Newham. If this scheme is deemed to be a success how long do you think it will be until it is rolled out Nationally?

Landlord Licencing scheme debate - Mark Alexander and the Mayor of Newham

What do you think this caption should read?

As can be seen from this picture during a debate I had with the Mayor of Newham earlier this year I was none too impressed with his proposals back then. At that time he was trying to assure me that landlord licencing scheme fees would only be £30 a year! I think we ought to have a caption competition for this picture don’t you? Please leave your caption in the comments section below this article. I will add my favourite caption to the picture. As much as the proposed landlord licencing scheme may make you want to swear, please do not use foul language.

Details of Newham Council’s selective and additional licensing scheme have been made available online that state the boundaries of the area in question requiring licences, as of January 2013. The council is the first to undertake such a large, wholescale landlord licensing scheme

The scheme is hoped to improve the standard of private rented properties in the area and to improve the growing anti-social behaviour problem but landlord groups have argued that the Council already have sufficient powers to deal with the any problems. Landlord groups have also commented that the shocking propaganda being used by the Council is grossly unfair. Clearly there is a major housing issue in the area as the Council were recently accused of attempts of social cleansing when they looked to do a deal with Stoke on Trent to ship out their benefits claimants. Landlords who are found to be unlicensed could be hit with fines of up to £20,000 while breaking the terms of the licence could mean fines of up to £5,000.

View the full release and details of the selective and additional licensing boundaries here

What’s your view on the Newham Landlord Licencing Scheme?

At property118.com we are very keen to hear the views of all landlords nationally regarding the Newham Landlord Licencing scheme. How would the creation of such a scheme in your area affect your attitude to investment in property?


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Comments

23:20 PM, 15th July 2012, About 12 years ago

OOps! I meant 4 fingers, not 4 dingers.

20:21 PM, 30th July 2012, About 12 years ago

This is just another stealth tax. I have just come back from a holiday and to my surprise Bristol City Council have taken the same stance only the first licence is £550 and subsequent licences £950 it will not stop there. The plot is similar saying that they want to stop iresponsible landlords letting to udesirable tenants.
Funny most of these clients are on LHA so surely they already know where the problems lie.
This situation is similar to when the NHS was formed, council told private landlords that they had to improve their housing stock, which they could not afford to do. These properties were in locations where most people rented so there would only be interest from other investors as the cost of improving the stock was so great other investors did not buy so the council's bought the properties at a knock down price and created the original council housing stock. Is this a ploy to attack the private rented sector?

18:24 PM, 29th September 2012, About 12 years ago

daylight robbery - Landlords are already paying tax on renting out - bastards!

12:31 PM, 1st October 2012, About 12 years ago

This is a *stealth tax* plain and simple. Just another way for the council to squeeze another pound out of the poor. Landlords would simply pass on the cost to the tenants.

21:45 PM, 7th November 2012, About 12 years ago

Newham council is the richest council in the country and the greediest, they always look for ways of ripping public apart. Unsocial behaver as they say, go to council estates first thing walk into is sticky urine area where the council should be treat like, poverty high crime drug dealing you name it in council estates. They need to get their act together before picking on hard earning landlords. I bet those properties which the council owns will excepted from licencing scheme. This another way to make serious free money without them investing any money at all Robin Smith should voted out with NO Confidence. Scrap this scheme stop being greedy, learn to sort your own mass out before picking on the private landlords. I have friends and family members living in Newham councils properties, go and see what state there in. Selfish, greedy, worse borough to live in.

16:39 PM, 20th March 2013, About 11 years ago

This is a tax on the poor people who cannot afford to buy a flat . Lanlord will have to put their rents up to cover their costs. So Newham Council is taking money from people on low pay.
Newham Council dont look after their tenants so well just look at the state of any of the tower blocks and council properties

Ingrid

22:37 PM, 13th April 2013, About 11 years ago

I am a landlord of a property in Newham, living overseas. I have just become aware of this (despite paying a registered agent to manage my property for me.) I cannot register as a landlord as I do not have a UK address, but the agent suggested I name someone else living in the UK as the licence holder, despite them having no interest in the property.I have owned the property for many years. We already pay an agent to manage the property, and if the property needs any maintenance or new furnishings we act on the tenant’s and agent’s requests and recommendations.Our existing tenant has lived at the property for two years now, so he is obviously happy.This new registry of landlords is a blatant tax grab, evidenced by the fact that as overseas landlords we can’t register ourselves but any person in the UK could register as our licence holder. I hope this will not become standard in boroughs across the UK.

0:35 AM, 15th October 2013, About 11 years ago

Newham Council have shot themselves in the foot because Lanlord are selling their properties in Newham.
The tenents are asking the londlords to make them homeless so Newham council will have to rehouse them. At present the Council will get £500 from every landlord to licence their property but then it will cost them a fortune to house all those people in bed and beakfast places .

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