Liverpool City Council has decided to introduce a compulsory licensing scheme for its private landlords, in an attempt to improve housing conditions in the private rental sector. Around 50,000 rental properties in the city will be affected and landlords will be expected to pay a minimum of £400 as of April 1st. Subsequent properties will be given a small discount and landlords who are accredited members of an approved scheme will only have to pay £200 per property.
Heavy Handed says NLA
The National Landlords Association has described the licensing scheme as “heavy handed” and believes that landlords will feel alienated as a result of stringent checks to see if they are a “fit and proper person” (i.e. they don’t have any convictions for drugs, violence, dishonesty and abuses of housing law).
Costly Fines for Non-Compliant Landlords
Landlords affected by the licensing scheme will be expected to meet health and safety guidelines, deal with anti-social complaints quickly, and maintain the exterior of their properties. Eligible landlords who don’t bother applying for a license face fines of up to £5k. They might also have their properties confiscated by the council.
“Responsible landlords… have absolutely nothing to fear”, claims Liverpool Council’s Assistant Mayor, Ann O’Byne. However, she added that the council was “concerned about a number who rent properties that fail to meet satisfactory standards.”
“This has a negative impact on the health and welfare of local communities and on a housing market that is already vulnerable in terms of vacant properties, low house prices and depressed rental values.”
