26th
Feb 2024
Barking and Dagenham council is holding a consultation on another somewhat contentious landlord licensing scheme.
Since 2015. the council’s current Selective Licensing Scheme has been applied to single-family homes and during that time it has licensed over 17,000 properties whilst boasting it has inspected more than 8,000 private landlords’ properties.
The council is now proposing to introduce a new Selective Licensing scheme alongside a new Additional Licensing scheme covering small HMOs let to two or three people which is presently not covered by compulsory licensing.
On its consultation website the authority shows the licensing costs but is proposing to offer discounts for landlords with a proven history of what it calls “best practice”.
Silver compliance award:
For those landlords who receive an acceptable rating from its team’s compliance audit inspection ie conditions meet with standards required at the inspection. Eligible for the £200 discount off the Part B charge towards the scheme’s running costs.
Gold compliance award:
For those landlords who receive acceptable rating from its team’s compliance audit inspection and are also Accredited are eligible for the £250 Discount off the Part B charge towards the scheme’s running costs.
A council spokesperson says: “Private rented properties have played a growing role in providing homes for our residents over the last decade and we want to make sure that landlords are providing good, quality homes for their tenants.
“These licensing schemes allow us to work closely with landlords to help them improve and maintain their properties as well as take action against anyone who fails to follow the set requirements.
“I’d like to encourage all private sector tenants, landlords, letting agents and everyone else interested to have their say.”
Richard Merrick of PIMS,said: “No doubt the council has taken into consideration that there is a strong likelihood that the licensing costs will end up being paid for by the tenants, after all they are considered to be intelligent rather than money orientated.”
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