Selective Licensing review shows unwillingness to listen to Landlords

Selective Licensing review shows unwillingness to listen to Landlords

15:29 PM, 25th June 2019, About 5 years ago 20

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The Selective Licensing Review report demonstrates the Government’s unwillingness to listen to landlords, the National Landlords Association (NLA) says.

The report, which was released today, ignores the NLA’s suggestion of requiring local authorities to conduct an annual assessment to demonstrate the effectiveness of the schemes against the rationale for their introduction. Currently, although it is considered best practice to complete this assessment, few local authorities do so.

The NLA does support the proposal for standardised requirements for property conditions, which local authorities can enforce against. However, the recommendations fail to include anything to close the loopholes which currently allow those who fail the ‘fit and proper’ person test to continue operating in other areas or through a letting agent.

Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA says: “Far too often we see local authorities failing to live up to their side of selective licensing. It’s shameful that the Review has ignored our call for regular reporting against schemes’ published objectives, which would be easy to implement and would actually hold councils to account.

“The majority of selective licensing schemes are introduced without any thought having been given to their implementation, funding and enforcement, leading to good landlords paying for effectively nothing. For the most part, selective licensing has failed to root out the bad landlords and the recommendations in the report will do very little to change that.

“The suggestion to introduce a national registration of landlords and a property MOT would be a viable alternative to selective licensing, but would need to be well thought out and proportionate to avoid an unnecessary burden on good landlords.”


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Comments

Mick Roberts

7:20 AM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

You say:
"leading to good landlords paying for effectively nothing"
That should say "Has led to GOOD TENANTS paying for effectively nothing". Cause that's what's happened in Nottingham.
They've had to pay for this rip-off scheme.

Most Nottingham houses had rent increase to pay for this fiasco.

Approx 16,000 good landlords have come forward. Approx 16-17,000 Landlords haven't.
Good Landlords & good tenants punished, our houses getting worse due to depleted funds & time. Bad Landlords houses stay silent.

And the Homeless is astronomical. I spoke to a Homeless section yesterday, she says her & her staff are ringing Private Landlords each 5 hours a day, NOT ONE house can they get.

I'm having a meeting with 'em in a few weeks, they want to hear why Landlords won't talk to 'em.
They need to be shouting up more to the Licensing dept what they are doing, as no one is doing this loudly enough for fear of their jobs.

NW Landlord

8:49 AM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

I just had the evict a tenant because I am selling and downsizing my portfolio. The tenants couldn’t be housed by the council so a family of 4 living with their parents sad but an ever increasing theme of modern day housing in Tory Britain. Even when I spoke with council they had never heard of s24 and when I asked why are they stinging landlords with empty house council tax they said it’s to encourage landlords to let out their properties and not leave them empty couldn’t make it up. This on top of their ludicrous licensing extortion policy is it any wonder. 15 licenses and not one inspection wake up u useless money grabbing parasites u are destroying lives with your constant milking of landlords there isn’t anything left to milk hence why we are selling up in our droves when are they going to realise ???

Troydave

9:29 AM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Am I correct in thinking that when the Government announced that a review into the effectiveness of Selective Licensing was to take place it was stated that the review would include the comments of all stakeholders ?
When I attempted to enquire the means to do so I was advised that the consultants had yet to be appointed and I have never seen any further announcement until yesterday.
When reading the report there is little if any suggestion that the review was based on anything other than what local authorities had to say.
We all know that such authorities are cash strapped and licensing is a good means of bringing in an extra income stream though the review highlights that a number of such schemes are not self funding.
The review states that the recommendations are those of the authors of the report and not those necessary of the Government.
The recommendation for a national register does not specify how it should be operated and lists the annual MOT suggestion of the Rugg report as a option.
If this option was approved the inspections ( on all properties , not just those in subjective selective areas ?) would be undertaken by an independent body and selective licencing operated by local authorities presumably abolished .
Perhaps that is a fairer system though personally I would have though an annual MOT is over the top.

Coastal

10:49 AM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Isn't it strange how schools, the NHS and care authorities have for quite some time been reporting how they've been virtually abandoned due to Gov Brexit distractions, yet the Gov 'Steer private landlords into the ground dept' continues at full tilt! What it's really about is short term stealth taxes and perceived Tory votes!

Mick Roberts

14:16 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by NW Landlord at 26/06/2019 - 08:49Perfect words
15 licenses and not one inspection wake up u useless money grabbing parasites u are destroying lives

Mick Roberts

14:16 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by David Lovegrove at 26/06/2019 - 09:29
Yes, I tried to get involved too. Looks like they made it their intention to not hear the truth off the Landlords.
Like When the DWP boss at the time Alok Sharma said We know Universal Credit is working cause we've asked the job centres. Gees what a Thicko lot these Tory toffs are, don't go ask the real people, the tenants & the Landlords will u.

Same with this Licensing, fancy not asking us.

Rod

14:55 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

The government are after every penny they can get, nothing more - nothing less.

Monty Bodkin

17:19 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Got to love this bit of spin;

9.40 Analysis of Valuation Office Agency data on private rent levels in licensed areas does not support the claim that licensing has had a demonstrable effect on rent levels. On average, lower quartile rents in the areas interrogated increased by 274% over a representative five-year period (during which licensing was introduced in each case), whilst the licence fee alone (spread over 60 months) would account for an average increase of less than 3%. Even in the minimum case, the rent increase over the five year period was over 22 times the increase that can be ascribed to the licence fee alone. This is compelling evidence that the impact of market forces on rent levels dwarfs that of the cost of a licence.

So councils putting the boot into good landlords has nothing to do with rent increases.
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Of course there are other contributing factors for the increases but implying that only 3% of the 274% increase is due to licensing is ridiculous.

Michael Barnes

23:50 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 26/06/2019 - 17:19"274%": where in the UK are rents 3.7 times the rents 5 years ago?
And, whilst the statement is "over 5 years", the referenced source is for 2017-18!

Michael Barnes

23:56 PM, 26th June 2019, About 5 years ago

I also noticed that there appeared to be no input from LLs and Ts on the ground. So they have no idea that many LLs do not increase rents every year (they believe that LLs always charge the most they can get).

And they have no idea of what is going on with benefits freeze and how even 3% might tip a benefits tenant over the edge.

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