Liverpool granting licences to Agents and not Landlords?
I have received a letter today from a Letting Agent:
“We have been in discussion with Liverpool Council regarding the issuing of licenses under their new Selective Licensing Scheme. We have had a number of applications rejected on the basis that the landlord is not the most appropriate person to hold the licence. Instead, the Council have advised that the managing agent is the most appropriate person to hold the licence and therefore applications must be made in the name of the managing agent.
A number of landlords have made applications direct and received the same rejection and response. We have also been advised that if a licence application is rejected the initial application fee may be forfeit.”
The letter goes on to say ”the council will not grant licenses unless they are in the name of the managing agent”.
Does anyone know what is happening here, please?
Peter
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Member Since November 2011 - Comments: 18 - Articles: 2
7:44 AM, 5th September 2025, About 8 months ago
Reply to the comment left by maurice1 dev at 02/09/2025 – 14:22
Hi Maurice,
The agent who has bought the company should be able to help with this. They have bought the company after all so, although it’s not their *fault* that LCC has the restrictive rule, it is the *responsibility* of the SELLING agent to not have made you incur the cost of a licence (in their name) and then force you to pay again. That doesn’t seem fair.
Also, the locality of an agent is irrelevant these days. Tenants don’t tend to visit agents’ offices – hence why the corporate companies manage properties all over the country from random locations.
I recommend choosing your agent based on length of service, geographical spread, customer service, and knowledge.
Best of luck,
Nick