A council is launching an innovative scheme whereby good landlords get long licences - and poor ones get short licences.
Gloucester council plans to give landlords who fail to manage HMO properties correctly, shorter 12 month HMO licences rather than the standard five years.
The council is also set to introduce fines for landlords where homes don’t meet energy efficiency standards and whose Energy Performance Certificate rating is below an E.
A statement from the authority says: “Homes with low EPC ratings take longer to warm up and lose heat quicker, meaning energy bills can be higher and residents are exposed to cold related illnesses.”
Landlords whose properties fail electrical safety standards could be fined up to £30,000 and those who don’t install sufficient carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, up to £5,000.
Reduced payment offers for those who pay the penalty fines early have also been removed.
In Gloucester almost 30 per cent of homes are rented.
The council says it “works to educate landlords about their responsibilities and can provide advice and support but can also to take action through the courts as a last resort.”
A council spokesperson comments: “Poor housing can have a huge effect on people’s lives and can severely affect their health. While the majority of landlords maintain their properties there is a small minority who think that the rules don’t apply to them.
“We hope that this will send a message that not meeting the regulations could cost you a lot more in the long run so now is the time to act.”
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Good idea for once
George. Careful now what you wish for this is no innovative Scheme at all and is the case by other Councils already.
Another scandalous attack on Private Landlords more Fines more Torture more Penalties another money grabbing exercise anyone can see that.
No justice for Landlords no normal fines or penalties no slap on the wrist like other businesses, of course not we are loaded we only had to buy the property, maintain fix everything run the business deal with the Tenants issue on a daily basis comply with every law and piece of legislation that anyone can dream up.
That’s not enough they now have Computers that the Councils are not capable of using to Administer their Schemes but gets a third party to do it at our expense but we are expected to comply. Have they forgotten we are landlords that supply quality affordable property to millions of people to live comfortably and not Computer kids.
Our fines were specifically invented for us a Statutory Penalty £5/20/30 grand there you go fall guy.
How about good landlords get left alone and don’t have to pay into any BS scheme. We have laws that state all the necessary minimum standards that would allow rogue landlords to be dealt with without the need to fleece good landlords.
And also, dear virtuous councils, what plans do you have to introduce schemes to proactively deal with bad tenants? What was that? Can’t hear you……
I’d like to know where does all this Licence money go? In the pockets of councillors or what. And yes Steve - Good landlords not have to pay any licence fee. To line councillors pockets
I thought that any properties with lower EPC then E is not allowed to rent out at all. Like the other LLs, I would like to know where the LL's money goes to from licensing. The councils are so good at making rules to collect money from LLs, but fail to say where they would spent the money obtained legally but still fraudulently.
It's not too difficult to get an exomption
The article states good LL get reverse. This would mean payment to them for being good and encouragement to other LLs. But council is hair band in getting more money without giving any incentives for good LLs. Sic.
I do not believe penalties are good, but incentives help. The council should be seen to support PRS, not condemn them.
The problem is that incentives don't work anymore because the whole private rental sector has been broken by the Renters Reform legislation.
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