17th
Aug 2015
It has just come to light that Blackpool Council wants to expand their landlord licensing scheme, without gaining permission from the DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government). This is despite the announcement made by the DCLG that from April 1st 2015, all councils had to be granted authorisation by them if any council planned to licence more than 20% per cent privately rented homes.
Blackpool council is attempting to go ahead with licensing more landlords who own private rented housing stock and with their new proposed areas, it will take the scheme above the 20% figure stipulated by the government.
The council, when challenged about the expansion denied all knowledge of the government’s new criteria for licensing schemes.
Gavin Dick, a spokesman for the landlords, said: “Councils no longer have the power to introduce wide ranging licensing schemes because too often such schemes are completely ineffective and demonstrate no benefit for tenants or the wider community. These schemes should be targeted at specific problems and fully resourced.”
“When questioned about this in a public forum the Council was not aware they had to apply to DCLG for approval, which suggests a lack of proficiency considering the Housing Minister wrote to all councils about this issue just four months ago.
“If the Council is serious about tackling problems of poor property standards and anti-social behaviour (ASB) it should use the extensive existing legal powers it already has. But instead it wants to pass the buck onto landlords who have little to no power to deal with the issue short of eviction. If a tenant has been accused of ASB the landlord could be forced to evict them, whether they want to or not, or face being prohibited from letting their property at all”.
The council is closing the review consultation process on September 25th this year.
Richard Merrick, of PIMS, said: “We cannot comment on a council’s ethics; however it should be remembered that Blackpool requested the government that they should be allowed to reduce the housing benefit. It is more than likely that the council was unaware of the new rules.”
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