4th
Jun 2021
A council has issued a stark warning to landlords when stating it’s “on the side of tenants”.
The London borough of Tower Hamlets has recently has renewed its Selective Licensing Scheme for another five years with the extended term to run until October 2026.
After running a consultation process and results from its survey last year, the council has now unanimously approved the implementation of an additional five-year term of its selective licensing scheme.
Councillor Eve McQuillan, head of the authority’s planning and social inclusion, does not mince her words when making it absolutely clear that licensing is not there to help landlords.
McQuilllan said: “Too many landlords in the borough still fail in their obligations to their tenants. Landlord licensing has been a game changer for us to take action against rogue landlords so I’m really pleased we’ve extended the Selective Licensing Scheme.
“We’re very clear that we’re on the side of tenants and want to see big reforms in the private rented sector to reset the balance of power between landlords and renters.”
The ongoing Selective Licensing Scheme was first introduced in selected areas of the borough in October 2016 which is legal obligations for all agents and landlords responsible for letting out ‘residential’ properties to apply for a licence.
The council says: “Since its launch, the scheme has allowed for the effective management of rented properties to prevent and deal with anti-social behaviour originating from the private rented sector and has made overall improvements to property conditions across these neighbourhoods.
“Tower Hamlets will now focus on enforcing several areas to ensure the standards of the scheme are upheld. This includes issuing fines to landlords or agents who fail to license their properties; effective management of rent properties to prevent anti-social behaviour and taking action against landlords or agents who fail to maintain their properties to a good standard.”
John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, adds: “The extension of the Selective Licensing Scheme ensures we can continue to protect tenants and drive up the quality of private rented accommodation. We are using the powers at our disposal to protect renters and want government to let us do even more so we can extend the scheme borough wide. We will continue to stick up for the rights of renters and keep lobbying the government on this.”
So far Tower Hamlets council has managed to ‘retrieve’ nearly a third of a million (£320,00000) by issuing rent repayment orders for renters from landlords who failed to licence their properties.
News Archive »