Prime Minister to introduce mandatory landlord licensing scheme

Prime Minister to introduce mandatory landlord licensing scheme

13:01 PM, 25th May 2015, About 9 years ago 20

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In his speech on the changes the Government is proposing with regards to immigration (expected to be included in the Queen’s speech next week), David Cameron has announced plans that will have a significant impact on landlords.david cameron

He has highlighted housing as one of the key ways in which illegal immigrants can be identified.

The proposals

There has been a pilot scheme running whereby landlords had to check that tenants were here legally. This will now be rolled out nationwide.

The Government also plans to cancel tenancies automatically at the same point when visas expire.
Apparently the Government will also change the rules so that landlords will be able to evict illegal immigrants more quickly.

But the big one is the new mandatory licensing regime. We don’t know what this will entail or who it will apply to – whether landlords or letting agents or, most probably, both.

What we do know is that it will undoubtedly add to the already considerable burden and pressure on landlords. It may also reduce the number of properties available to rent as landlords sell up.

Is this really the right approach?

There are some “unscrupulous landlords”, as Mr. Cameron calls them, who cram houses full of illegal migrants, but this is a minority. I do question whether a mandatory licensing scheme is the right approach to deal with this.

It seems too heavy handed and onerous on landlords, especially where there is a critical shortage in housing. The immigration status checks and ending of tenancies when visas expire is also additional administration and cost. passed down to landlords.

And if it’s going to be made easier for landlords to evict illegal immigrants, can Mr. Cameron please also make it easier for all landlords to evict tenants, regardless of their residency status, more quickly by allowing them to use High Court Enforcement Officers without the need to apply to the court for permission!

You can read the full transcript of the speech by following this link; https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-on-immigration

Contact The Sheriffs Office


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Comments

Puzzler

10:28 AM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

They already have it in Scotland and no-one takes much notice

Luke P

11:23 AM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Puzzler " at "30/05/2015 - 10:28":

Proof it's nothing more than a tax.

Luke P

11:24 AM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Tim Fenn" at "30/05/2015 - 09:24":

Hear, hear! But I doubt we'll ever be seen as anything more than chancers by the LA.

11:37 AM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

On that basis, using a managing agent should be the equivalent of paying a chauffeur. The passenger needs no licence at all.

Neil Robb

19:26 PM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

Hi All

I like Marks suggestion of a two way street. Where both the tenant and landlord are held to account. This should not be limited to just illegal immigrants it should be every tenant.

So as a responsible landlord I ask for proof to be in the country and the give me a passport and national insurance card. great. I take a copy and it is fake what then.

But here is a thought how many years did it take for the government to kick Abdul Hanzit out of the country. Yet we still paid for his family to have not one but two houses and all there living cost paid by the British people.

I have paid from my own pocket to attend a course run by CIH which cost me £200 the government paid the other £800. I take my responsibility as a landlord seriously yet. All I hear is issue after issue. Against landlords the huge majority of landlords are decent people who try hard. A lot end up in trouble because of bad tenants who just laugh and are not held to account by law.

I love being a landlord but with all the issues with cut backs and housing benefit cuts I and thinking do I want to keep investing my money into property just to be shafted and lose everything. The fines the government want to impose on landlords are a total joke. between imprisonment and up to £20,000 fine.

Tenant commits benefit fraud and the claim the money back from the landlord if they received direct payment. Even though this has been paid to the banks for mortgages. Why don't they chase the tenant who committed the crime not the landlord who would be innocent of what the tenant has claimed. I had to sign a form last week saying I agree to any over payment being taking from any housing payment I received so if someone has fiddled the payment for years they can take it from all my other tenants payments. putting everyone's home at risk including my own. Luckily this has not happened to me yet.

I enjoy giving people good decent homes and maintaining them to a decent standard. But there comes a time when you have to say cash in take what I have built and enjoy the easy life no hassle or worries.

You can not stay in a hotel for free (fraud) yet the law say you can in a private rental.

You can not take for a service and not pay for it (fraud) but again you can in Private rental.

Take from Tesco's without paying it is theft take from a landlord it is a civil matter. I make it quite clear to the police it is Theft not a civil matter.

LCH

21:33 PM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Puzzler " at "30/05/2015 - 10:28":

In other words, landlord's have become just another 'cash-cow' to LAs.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

21:47 PM, 30th May 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Neil Robb" at "30/05/2015 - 19:26":

Rob

A clueless landlord using a good agent can still be very bad news because they don't believe anything their agents tell them, they don't respect their agents opinions and they expect too much of their tenant and agents and take responsibility for nothing. That's why All Landlords should at least complete an accreditation day in my opinion, so that they at least understand their responsibilities
.

Recardo

12:32 PM, 31st May 2015, About 9 years ago

This is a big issue and bashing all LL's even the good ones is like saying people are guilty until proven innocent. Where is common sense gone, if I make one mistake after housing 100 people over 13 years, give me a slap on the wrist and tell me off, but that doesn't fill the coffers. Councils get squeezed by the government so they squeeze anyone they can from parking fines, residential parking permits, and now landlords.

I take a taxi I don't need a licence. If I have an agent why should I don't need a licence if I want the agent to manage my affairs. I should either be allowed to manage my own affairs or pay someone else to take care of it for me,

If you have stocks and shares or a pension fund you don't have to go to Uni to learn the subject and get a licence. If I did I would manage the stocks myself.

I pay an accountant to manage my tax affairs and he is an expert in his field but I am held responsible for the tax return he submits. What do I know about accountancy if I new it I wouldn't pay some one else to do it for me.

I don't believe being a LL is rocket science and I know this licensing is just a way for councils to make money, only a smoke screen. they cannot provide homes for tenants and focus on bad LL as evidence they need to intervene.

Why not do a poll of every tenant in the land where the can grade their landlord and accommodation provided. Give then a rate of 1-10, any landlord grade 5 or less has to go to school, hand over to an agent or put things right, or face the fine.

Probably to simple and wouldn't make any money for the councils.

Mick Roberts

10:57 AM, 4th July 2018, About 6 years ago

Can you Landlords please sign this & forward to all your contacts.
A small hope, we have to try anything & everything.
I'm sure we not get 10k signatures, but the more Licensing & Govt start to see these things, who knows.
“Petition calling for a review of Nottingham City Councils Selective Licensing."
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/223039

http://www.selectivelicensingtruth.co.uk/

LCH

9:14 AM, 5th July 2018, About 6 years ago

Signed the petition

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