25th
Jan 2016
Oxford City Council is planning to impose on private landlords mandatory licensing for each of their properties, and once again it has nothing to do with ‘filling their coffers’, it is to improve private renting standards.
They are determined to go ahead despite the failure of the HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing requirement that was introduced four years ago and was deemed a failure by the lack of registrations; in fact 50% of the properties have yet to sign up.
The new scheme will be decided upon by councillors in their meeting tabled in for later this month (February).
Bob Price, Oxford City’s Council leader, "It's important that people who rent - whether in an HMO or in a single tenant property - know that it's a safe property, it's been well maintained and it contributes to the local environment - that it's not a blot on the landscape."
The council claims that an enforcement approach would make sure that minimum statutory standards were adhered to. It said that the licences would ensure that "beds in sheds do not become an accepted feature in Oxford".
Richard Merrick of PIMS, said: “Councils are always denying the fact that licences will drive up rents, alongside the new tax changes for landlords it will inevitably increase prices for tenants.
“The council is claiming renters outnumber the number of homeowners in the city and if this is so, then they will be penalising those who cannot afford their own homes. It will be interesting to see if the government gives them the go-ahead.”
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