18th
Jan 2024
Four landlords are seriously considering taking a council to court over a proposed extension of its licensing scheme.
Middlesbrough council is holding a consultation on extending its licensing scheme to another ward of the city. The council’s Selective Licensing Scheme has been in operation over the last few years in the North Ormesby and Newport ward.
The council says the reason to fast track an extension to the scheme in its Newport ward as it “ has led to great improvements to the areas”
The consultation proposes a £998 five year fee and following the news a landlord contacted the Yorkshire Post that the proposed charge is ‘eye watering’ and says he is considering with three other landlords in taking legal action.
The landlords preferred not to be named but one told the Yorkshire Post: “We are going to try and stop it but if we aren’t granted permission for that challenge we are going to look at using legal loopholes to avoid paying it.
“They are starting off again six months before the current scheme even ends and putting up the fees astronomically. They do not seem to have listened to the complaints made about pricing, still wanting a large upfront fee with small reduction in year five.”
A second landlord is quoted saying: “It’s time now to say enough is enough and either stop or boycott the scheme.”
And of course Middlesbrough council states that the costs is calculated on the costs for enforcing and organising the scheme and for those landlords applying for a licence renewal in its last twelve months will be eligible for a discount.
The council says the smaller licensing scheme has already led to a vast improvement in property standards and a fall in anti-social behaviour cases.
A spokesperson adds that the licensing scheme will give “rewards” to good landlords “because if they are on the list, obviously the housing is up to scratch. It stops the bad landlords who are just there to make money and don’t care about the community, don’t care about the area.”
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