Property licensing is complex, inconsistent and ever changing. Keeping on top of all the changes requires a sophisticated platform that can cleanse, analyse and sort data and interpret the results to help agents, landlords and surveyors interpret the data and stay compliant.
September 2019 has been a very interesting month for the Private Rented Sector (PRS); council fines, HMOs, u-turn on licensing policies (by one council), landlord fines and the MHCLG asking for input into selective scheme licensing reviews.
Councils and property licensing round up
Hounslow Council had planned to proceed with an additional licensing scheme in July 2019 in the borough, but the RLA (now the NRLA) threatened the council with a judicial review on the basis that the scheme was not clearly explained and consultation was flawed.
Stockton Council then backed down following protests about its own £845-a-property proposal. They were proposing to introduce a selective scheme in two parts of the area but backed down when Landlords grouped together and proposed a tenant referencing scheme which will also embrace new property owners less familiar with buy to let rules and regulates
Telford & Wrekin Council have applied for a banning order and rent repayment order against a landlord of an HMO property who rented out a property without a licence and has previous convictions for two of his former tenants. He continued to run a seven bedroomed house and advertise tooms to let. The landlord will be the first in England to be banned in the PRS.
Wrexford Council issued one of the largest fines seen this year of £22,500 to one of the country’s largest agents, Countrywide. Countrywide estate agent chain Beresford Adams and a landlord received a combined fine totalling £30,000 when the Council discovered an unlicensed HMO with inadequate fire safety provisions at the property.
Potential licensing schemes to help older renters
Age UK London started a campaign in 2019 to help make renting age friendly in the capital. The campaign is calling on local authorities in London to introduce selective licensing schemes to help protect vulnerable older tenants who rent. The campaign highlights that there are over 146,000 households in the London PRS, with at least one person over the age of 50. Over the next two decades this number of older renters (over 65 years of age) will double. Hence the call for schemes to help prepare the market. You can read more about the campaign here.
Rogue Landlord Database developments
The Government wants to hear from letting agents and tenants about latest reforms to the private rental market in England to control rogue landlords. MHCLG has opened a consultation asking the property industry and tenants to give their views on whether the scope of the rogue landlord data base ought to be widened to include a greater scope of offences and whether agents, tenants and prospective tenants should have access to the database. The consultation closes on 12 October 2019 and demonstrates how this database will expand out beyond councils as predicted in our previous article, titled The Top Ten Property Trends for 2019 in the PRS.
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