A licensing scheme described by an expert as one of the most complex to date is set to go live on November 1.
The selective licensing scheme in Southwark, London, will extend licensing to all private rented homes in parts of the borough.
But, says consultant Richard Tacagni, the scheme’s designation is much bigger than it first appears.
The council says the scheme’s designation “includes but is not limited to” certain roads.
In fact, said Tacagni of consultancy firm London Property Licensing, the scheme extends across 17 distinct areas including 134 streets and will take in some 5,000 properties.
He warned that agents and landlords will need to study its requirements very carefully indeed.
Alongside the new selective licensing scheme, there will be an extension of existing HMO licensing to all HMOs in the borough. This will take in every property shared by three or more unrelated people – some 10,000 homes.
The selective licensing fee is £500 per property for five years, while the additional HMO fee is £250 per bedroom, making it £1,250 for a five-bedroom shared house.
Tacagni says this makes it one of the highest fees in London.
More here
Separately, a legal challenge to a licensing scheme in Croydon has failed in the High Court.
Croydon Property Form, a consortium of agents, landlords and developers, had applied for a judicial review. But the judge, Sir Stephen Silber, rejected the application, saying the council had consulted properly.
The borough-wide scheme will be implemented on October 1.
Comments (3)
We can now see why there is a housing shortage if you were thinking of becoming a landlord would you bother ???
I’m all for keeping the rental standards high but the hypocrisy of local authorities who’s own properties on occasion fall well below minimum standards are just looking for aquick way to generate income it will always be the tenant that loses out.
Selective licensing is starting on the Wirral and cost £500 for the privilage of being fined up to £20,000 if not up to scratch which includes a tenants antisocial behaviour!!!
So I make that a further local tax Southwark will collect of £12.5 million pounds whilst Croydon will make in the region of £25 million pounds FROM LANDLORDS. Still I am sure that the TENANTS will end up paying. It seems Councils will do anything to increase income after all they crept in with charging empty rates on residential property which is a dis incentive to refurbing homes properly between tenancies. Goverment has made landlord responsible for water rates whilst some energy companies (one who advertises widely to be the landlord friend) rip landlords off with illegal standing charges when property is empty (which the energy ombudsman say they cannot rule against!. And I wondered what the “bulls eye” target on my tee shirt was!!!!!