Middlesbrough council says it’s reviewing the fees for its selective licensing scheme “in terms of potential impact on income, administration costs and discouraging landlords from applying on time.”

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The BBC report says landlords are fuming about the council’s charging new landlords the full five year licence fee of £820 on new landlords in spite of the scheme ending in around six months’ time.

The licence applies in Middlesbrough’s Newport area however landlords state the fee is not subject to a fair pro-rated charge for the remaining months of the selective license scheme. This is making some landlords leave their properties empty until the scheme starts afresh.

A landlord told the BBC: "People are so fed up. Everyone's going mad about it. Houses will sit empty until June because landlords won't pay £800 for a six-month licence. People [are not buying] houses in Newport at the moment because there's no point. People aren't renting them out."

Another said: “What happens when we get to January, February, March? Are you really going to pay £800 for a licence for two months? It's going to be more than the rent”.

However a council spokesperson says: "The licence fees are calculated on the staffing resource required to deliver the scheme - the council does not make a profit and there is no cost to the council taxpayers.

 "We are reviewing this policy in terms of potential impact on income, administration costs and discouraging landlords from applying on time.”