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Issue - meetings
2nd anniversary review of the Private Rented Sector Selective Licensing Scheme
Meeting: 09/10/2017 - Cabinet (Item 38)
38 2nd anniversary review of the Private Rented Sector Selective Licensing Scheme PDF 196 KB
(Cabinet Decision)
Minutes:
Councillors Chowney and Forward, having declared a prejudicial interest in this matter, left the chamber for this item. Councillor Fitzgerald took the chair.
The Housing Renewal Manager presented the report of the Assistant Director, Housing and Built Environment, which reviewed performance of the private rented sector selective licensing scheme, which had reached its second anniversary. The report made recommendations on the future operation of the scheme.
In March 2015, Cabinet had approved a selective licensing scheme for private rented accommodation across 7 wards in the borough. The scheme came into force on 28 October 2015, for a 5 year period. The council had undertaken a review to assess how the scheme was performing against the key outcomes of reducing anti-social behaviour, improving housing conditions for private tenants, improving management standards and reducing the number of empty properties. However, it was noted that there was unlikely to be significant improvement in any of these outcomes after only two years of operation of the scheme.
To date, the council had received over 6,000 applications for selective licensing and issued over 5,000 licenses, exceeding the projections set out in the original business plan. An early bird rate had been offered for landlords who came forward to licence their properties at the start of the scheme. Enforcement action has also been taken with regard to landlords who had not yet come forward to licence their properties.
The scheme is intended to be cost neutral to the council at the end of its 5 years of operation. Following the review it was intended to increase the application fee for any remaining licenses. The council was also considering a new licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO). If this goes ahead, there may be an opportunity to transfer existing staff from selective licensing to operate the new HMO licensing scheme.
Councillor Batsford proposed approval of the recommendations to the Assistant Director, Housing and Built Environment’s report, which was seconded by Councillor Lee.
RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1. The progress of the scheme is noted, and;
2. The proposed revised licence fee structure, set out at appendix 2 to the report, is adopted
The reason for this decision was:
A review of the selective licensing of all private rented accommodation across 7 wards in the borough has identified that the licence fee previously adopted for the scheme on 30 March 2015 is insufficient to ensure the scheme meets a stated aim to be cost neutral to the council at its completion and as such an increase in fee for those properties presently unlicensed is required.
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