18th
Mar 2015
The Government has at last stepped in and issued a directive to all councils that if they intend to licence all private landlords in their boundaries, then they must seek their permission first.
Brandon Lewis, the Housing and Planning Minister, had received numerous complaints from all and sundry, about those councils making it mandatory for all landlords to sign up to their licensing schemes and charging ridiculous sums for each property.
He has introduced new reforms to the Selective Licensing scheme which means that from April 1st, that councils will be controlled as to whether they can go ahead with blanket licensing.
From April councils will have to seek the government’s permission to introduce a landlords’ licensing scheme that involves more than 20% of their private rented sector or area within its boundaries.
This follows many calls from the sector and one report that it received highlighting the massive increase of blanket licensing schemes throughout England.
The schemes are now being labelled as a “tenant tax”, as in some cases the extra costs will have to be passed onto the residents in the licensed properties.
The government’s announcement now means if a council is going to implement a licence scheme above laid down parameters, then it goes through an unbiased scrutiny undertaken by the government.
Richard Merrick of PIMS, said: “At long last the government has seen sense in regulating some councils who intend to implement a blanket scheme, despite there being little regard for the real facts and even criticism by their local MP’s.
“There may a be danger of councils going ahead with their decisions on licensing schemes before the end of this month, Croydon and Liverpool are at least two that come to mind.
“For too long council’s have bowed down to pressure groups or their own financial cutbacks and hopefully this will redress the situation for landlords.”
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