North Lincolnshire Council is proceeding with tougher rules for landlords in Scunthorpe, for at least five years – but how will it work, and what do people in Scunthorpe think?
Selective licensing is to be introduced in part of Crosby and Park, and Town wards, an area that has around 1,200 private rented homes. This allows local authorities to target housing in areas with issues such as deprivation, poor housing conditions, and anti-social behaviour.
It will place tougher rules on, and mean greater scrutiny of, the area’s private landlords, and require most to pay a fee. All to raise housing standards and hopefully, have other positive effects. Below is a guide.
Why is it called selective licensing?
It comes from the Housing Act 2004. It refers to the ‘selection’ of an area in which all private landlords must have a licence.
What is required of landlords in affected areas?
They must apply for the licence, pay a fee, and comply with required conditions. Those who live in and rent to lodgers, people with the same tenants for over 21 years, and renting to a family member, are among those not included.
What conditions will be required for Scunthorpe landlords?
The conditions are to require well-maintained homes, and keep on top of problems associated with them. It reinforces some things already in law, such as ensuring a home is fit to live in, like no serious problem with damp.
Conditions will cover the likes of ensuring a home is pest free, to active response to complaints of poor waste disposal from a property. A licence holder must ensure rubbish is not kept in gardens or alleyways, unless in allocated rubbish storage. Nor are they allowed to let a rented property to become overcrowded.
Some conditions mean scrutiny on rogue tenants. On council request, a landlord must provide full names and dates of birth for occupants, if anti-social behaviour is associated with it.
What happens if a landlord does not sign up, or follow the conditions?
There will be an inspection regime to ensure compliance. A breach of conditions, such as misleading information on a licence application form, could prompt a fine of up to £5,000. Failure to apply for a licence risks prosecution and an unlimited fine.
The council and tenants can claim back up to 12 months benefits or rents paid during the period a property has not been licensed. There is even an option to strip control of a home temporarily from a landlord.
How much will the fees be and how will its success, or not, be measured?
During a consultation, an initial licence fee of £955 in the first year was proposed, and £340 annual renewal. This is subject to change after feedback, with support for lesser fees for compliant landlords.
There will be regular scheme monitoring, not just on how many licences and penalties are issued. The council plans to monitor:
- the number of housing standard complaints
- crimes
- anti-social behaviour incidents
- fly-tipping and environmental incidents
What happened elsewhere?
West Lindsey District Council ran selective licensing in South West Ward, Gainsborough, from 2016-2021. It claimed it led to reduced anti-social behaviour by 83 per cent over five years, and 249 properties improved. A wider scheme covering 5,000 private rented households was subsequently proposed, but not pursued.
(Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
What do Scunthorpe people think?
A council consultation in spring, localised to two specific Scunthorpe areas, did not show majority support. A Crosby landlords’ association has challenged the plan, also.
But there are people who support it. Dorota Kubiak’s partner is a landlord in the affected area and they strongly support the scheme. “We are supporting it. We lived in our home there for years. I absolutely loved the neighbours. But the amount of rubbish and fly-tipping was shocking.”
She attended consultation events this year, and several years ago, when the council first considered it. A council officer this time mentioned they had looked Doncaster’s selective licensing experience. “One landlord specifically said he lost really good tenants because of the environment around,” she recalled from a consultation.
She was “definitely concerned” about poor housing conditions too. “I would say from my experience in my local area, when it comes to crime, I don’t think it was too bad. But fly tipping and littering, that’s a big one.”
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Ms Kubiak wondered how success would be measured, but said: “If people are safe in clean houses where they can breathe with no mould and no sockets sticking out of the walls, then that’s already progress.” She was dismayed on being told at one event the real results would only be seen over a decade.
“I support it, I want to do something to change the area and improve the experience of people living in it,” she concluded.
In Scunthorpe town centre, Mrs Francis and Mrs Sweeney were strong supporters of tougher rules on landlords to maintain rented homes. “Absolutely, 100 per cent.” “It’s about time it was done,” the pair said.
“Countrywide as well, not just here,” said Mrs Francis. Neither had experienced poor housing conditions themselves, though Mrs Francis knew someone who had. Mrs Sweeney added it annoyed her that some landlords could take in rent, but not do work on their properties.
On government proposals to double housing numbers required built every year in North Lincolnshire, they were broadly supportive. “I think it’s a good idea, because we’ve been needing a lot of properties for a long time,” said Mrs Francis.
(Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
The pair raised the issue, though, of rent often costing more than a mortgage. “I think everybody should have the right to own their own house,” added Mrs Francis.
“I like visiting, I live in Hull,” said visitor Carol Webster, who “definitely” supported the tougher rules for landlords and the idea of it being in Hull too. “What I keep seeing on the TV, and what I keep hearing,” she said of the worst housing conditions. “In fact, it’s worse now than when I had my oldest son in 1975. It’s a lot worse now, it’s ridiculous.”
“I’d agree that bit needs definitely regulating, the HMOs,” said Astra Stokes on unregistered houses in multiple occupation. Those that are large enough to need an HMO licence will not need a selective licence as well. But with over 100 suspected HMOs in the licensing area, the scheme could have a big impact.
“As long as the fees aren’t extortionate,” Astra added in her qualified support. “Does it up the rent?” as a result was her friend Lauren Clark’s concern.
The pair suggested letting agencies are also looked carefully at. “A lot of the time, you have rogue agencies who don’t pass [issues] onto the landlords,” said Lauren.
They also were cautiously supportive of more homes locally. “As long as they’re built in considerate areas and they maintain spaces for green spaces,” said Astra. “You can’t do anything about the fact there’s a need for housing.”
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
