Selective Licensing Consultations

Selective Licensing Consultations

11:33 AM, 23rd November 2014, About 10 years ago 38

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Selective Licensing Consultations

Landlord Opposition Groups MUST must work together!

Each time a new selective licensing consultation period begins in another local authority area we receive another post from another disgruntled landlord.

From now on, proposed articles regarding all new Selective Licensing Consultations will be directed to this discussion thread.

It appears that landlords seem to bury their heads in the sand and don’t tackle this problem, which is spreading like a virus across the UK, until such time as it affects them personally.

Groups are then formed in isolation of the the bigger picture. The same things are discussed but there is little if any joined up thinking or collaboration with similar groups.

The time has come to pool information on one single thread.

Take a lead from those landlord groups who have successfully defended against selective licensing. It is far better to learn from other peoples successes!

Learn from the successes of Milton Keynes – see the following linked threads:-

Milton Keynes abandon Selective Licensing

Milton Keynes Landlords Claim Second Victory Over Licensing 

To understand what is being discussed in other areas see these threads:-

Enforcement not legislation – PRS Hit Squads | Property118.com

Additional Licensing Judicial Review | Property118.com

Landlord Licensing Schemes – Raising Standards or Raising Funds?

Selective Licensing – Liverpool landlord needs help | Property118.com

Newham Council new Landlord Licensing – advice needed 

Licensing Consultation in Southwark | Property118.com

Croydon yet another area to introduce Selective Licensing

HMO Licensing Fees – Oxford

Enfield – Licensing meeting | Property118.com

Ipswich Council refunding landlord licensing fees after Court of Appeal ruling

Oldham – Selective Licensing?

Landlords launch legal challenges over HMO licensing

Alternative to licensing/accreditation? Bad landlords, look away now 

Councils lose Court cases over HMO licence fees

HMO licence fees up 650 percent

HMO Landlords Celebrate Victory Over Reduced Licencing Fees

Newham are not granting any further change of use permissions 


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Comments

Mandy Thomson

16:37 PM, 24th February 2015, About 9 years ago

I was just Googling something (entirely unrelated) just now and came across this document: http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/documents/s32767/03%20Private%20Rented%20Sector%20Licensing%20Scheme%20171214.pdf - minutes of a Lewisham Council Housing Select Committee meeting held on 17 December 2014, discussing the merits of selective licensing. I haven't had a chance to read it properly, but have scanned through it - it seems to be very much in favour of licensing and there is also a mention that the London Borough of Greenwich is also considering it.

Mandy Thomson

16:47 PM, 24th February 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mandy Thomson" at "24/02/2015 - 16:37":

Panic over! It seems their conclusion was in favour of additional licensing but NOT selective!

M H

20:12 PM, 6th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Am I missing something? or am I one of just a few in Waltham Forest that don't like the idea of Landlord Licencing?
To my amazement there were only 59 signatures on this e- petition (set up by Churchills Estate Agents I believe)

http://democracy.walthamforest.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=56&RPID=0&HPID=0

From what I read Waltham Forest council stand to collect around £15m, surely there must be more than 62 landlords in this borough :-O
I've signed and let my Family know about it too.

Waltham Forest are planing landlord licencing - not selective - but all, as far as I am aware 🙁

Mandy Thomson

19:48 PM, 11th March 2015, About 9 years ago

From 1 April, local authorities will require approval from the Secretary of State before implementing selective licensing to more than 20% of their borough, and/or affecting 20% or more of private rented properties in the borough: http://www.landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/blanket-selective-licensing-require-secretary-state-approval

Recognising that the current two criteria for bringing in selective licensing are inadequate, in a letter to the Department for Communities and Local Government that the above NLA article also links to, Brandon Lewis also states that Parliament is now considering 4 additional criteria: poor property conditions, large amounts of inward migration, a high level of deprivation or high levels of
crime.

However, from a landlord's perspective, I believe that while this is fairer and more accurate on the face of it, it still very unfair - there are many neighbourhoods in large cities where you have a mixture of properties, with occupiers (of all tenures) from many different walks of life - I know of several areas where you have people from council tenants and those living in shared housing at the bottom of the market, to highly qualified professionals living in large houses and luxury flats - all within a few meters of each other.

I have professional tenants on one such street who rent my nicely presented and spacious first floor flat, that's opposite a large council estate and on the same street as halfway houses for people with serious social problems (they chose it because the area is very central and close to Central London, and it's cheaper than most other parts of London). There are also a few Victorian villas that are occupied by single households. Needless to say, the area also has more than its fair share of disadvantage, crime and ASB.

Mandy Thomson

9:43 AM, 16th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Croydon Council are rushing through their licensing scheme before April 1st when, as we now know, approval from central government will be required for borough wide schemes.

They are discussing it at a cabinet meeting this evening https://secure.croydon.gov.uk/akscroydon/users/public/admin/kab14.pl?operation=SUBMIT&meet=34&cmte=C...

In the light of a consultation which, like all selective licensing consultations, was full of questions loaded in favour of licensing, which only a small proportion of the public are likely to have responded to, it looks like the proposed scheme will go ahead.

M H

10:55 AM, 16th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Mandy, Very much appreciate your comments and updates,
Mark

Mandy Thomson

21:19 PM, 24th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Mandy Thomson" at "16/03/2015 - 09:43":

Further to my earlier comment about Croydon Council's attempt to rush through their scheme ahead of the 1st April legislation change, I am currently putting together some questions for the council Scrutiny meeting, and am curious to know if anyone already affected by licensing can remember how long the council concerned took from the end of their consultation, to taking the decision to go ahead and implement?

For the record, Croydon's extended consultation (extended following the Regas victory against Enfield Council) ended 2 March and the cabinet decided to implement on 16 March, just 3 working days after the change to legislation was announced...

Any information is much appreciated and thanks in advance.

Ollie Cornes

7:37 AM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Mandy, you may wish to contact Richard Blanco at the NLA.

Mandy Thomson

8:09 AM, 25th March 2015, About 9 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Ollie Cornes" at "25/03/2015 - 07:37":

Thanks, Ollie. I'm already in touch with Gavin Dick, who's advising us - I might email him and ask.

Mandy Thomson

9:28 AM, 12th July 2015, About 9 years ago

A group of landlords and property developers have started legal action against the Croydon scheme. They are calling for anyone affected by this to support them – visit their website: http://www.croydonpropertyforumltd.com/

It seems that Croydon’s £750 fee, with no discount for multiple properties, is at least ONE of the highest and most punitive around. This doesn’t send the message that they’re on the side of landlords and prepared to work with them…

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