A council that put a selective licensing scheme consultation on pause because of the pandemic has resumed the exercise.
Oldham council says the virus impact on the consultation it began early last year meant it could not speak to and get the views of as many people as it would have wanted.
Councillor Hannah Roberts, with responsibility for housing, says: “Coronavirus has had a huge impact on Oldham, financially and socially, which meant the council has had to prioritise certain areas of work.
“It is nearly a year since we launched the selective licensing consultation so it is only right that we look at it again.
“The vast majority of our private landlords rent out decent properties and look after their tenants. Unfortunately, there is still a small number who fail to provide decent housing. That’s why we originally introduced the selective licensing scheme.
“Last time we asked people for their views, four out of five of the people who responded believed selective licensing would help improve the areas covered. Thankfully, they were right as we’ve been able to help out tenants and drive up standards.
“Any new scheme would mean landlords and tenants have to act responsibly or face possible action from the council.”
In 2015 the council introduced its selective licensing scheme for private landlords in eight areas. The existing scheme required all landlords to be registered with the council and to obtain a five-year licence which cost £490 per property.
Landlords or anyone else interested in the exercise can take part in the survey here.
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One thing you can always guarantee on is the good old public sector thinking of new ways to milk the private sector dry
Sod them all.
Idiots all of them.
And the thing is David most of them know that they are idiots, that's why they work in the public sector.
Nobody would employ them in the real world . I’ve dealt with them , it’s like they’re from a different dimension
A lazy moronic one
5 out of 5 LLs will say selective licensing would increase rents - but that's not going to be reported is it?
And given the demands on Council resources at present how else will they fund their housing dept?
Tricia, sorry not a hope we currently can't get what we are owed and I have another £10k +Council fees and Certificates coming due this year even though they were all Licensed before, so you are very lucky if you only doing it for the first time.
Selective Licensing is or used to be a half less of a Fee than Mandatory License or additional license but now I see a local Authority saying they are pass-porting Selective to Mandatory, what this means your guess is as good as mine because they didn't say, but I suspect it will be Doubling of the Application Fee to same as Mandatory or Additional.
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