Liverpool Council is planning to introduce blanket licensing across the city's 50,000 HMO's (Houses in Multiple Occupation) and buy to let properties. If they go ahead with the  ruling then Liverpool will become only the third council to do so.

Following a twelve week consultation, the council is expected to make a decision and probably approve the need for licences for every single privately rented home some time this year.

Like other councils who are also considering the same move, they are stating that its  implementation will push up standards in all HMO's and buy to let properties for tenants to rent. 

 

They also believe that this initiative will reduce levels of littering gardens and streets, bad neighbours complaints, noise and parking problems.

The council’s cabinet member for housing, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, said: “It’s vital that we do all we can to work with landlords across Liverpool to drive up the quality of our private rented properties. Poorly managed properties lead to problems such as low demand, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, and are a real blight on our neighbourhoods.

“We are already carrying out a range of work to tackle this issue, and the licensing scheme would be another major step forward, setting out our commitment to build on our positive relationships with good landlords, while making it clear that we will not tolerate unsatisfactory property conditions and poor standards of management.

“We want to make sure Liverpool has a good quality private rented sector, which tenants can be confident in, and we believe this licensing scheme can play a major part in helping us achieve that.”

Liverpool already licences around 1,250 HMOs.

 

Details of licence costs have not yet been released by the council. In Newham buy to let landlords have to pay £500 per property for a five year licence and up to £1,990 for HMO licences, this is dependent on the number of properties they manage.

Richard Merrick of PIMS.co.uk says: " No landlord encourages or wants problem tenants, so by saying that the council will reduce this by charging a fee is debatable. Unfortunately it will be down to both tenants and landlords to pay the levy."