Another council will be proposing a new selective licensing scheme as landlords will more than likely going to have to pay £750 to £900 for a five year licence.

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According to the 2021 census, 20% of households in North Devon—a predominantly rural area—are in the PRS.

Liberal Democrat Graham Bell, the council’s lead member for housing asserts that there is no evidence suggesting that selective licensing has led to more landlords selling their properties in other regions.

He asserts that similar schemes in other regions have successfully reduced anti-social behaviour, successfully prosecuting rogue landlords to justice, and kept rent increases to a minimum.

He says: “Potentially it is a benefit… we are trying to improve people’s lives and it does seem to work”

However, Tory councillor Pru Maskell argues that the increasing pressure is driving landlords to sell their properties, making the market "less and less desirable" for them.

She argues that introducing selective licensing could drive more landlords towards holiday lets, reducing the number of homes available for rent.