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Good afternoon,
I have properties within the Thanet District Council selective license area and have a few queries for opinion.
I am the freeholder for 2 buildings each containing 4 self contained units,
1) As the freeholder and having installed fire alarm systems (one during conversion, the other in a new build, neither of which were required under building regs) I have additional requirements on my license to maintain the systems. My problem with this is that (I do and will maintain them) I see it as a condition over above the licence scheme aims. I registered the flats as required as a landlord not the building as a freeholder, no leasehold landlord would have such a condition and the scheme does not chase freeholders.
2) The council has imposed occupancy restrictions in excess of the housing act, in the councils opinion a person is a person no matter what age ( rather than under 1 year old counting as zero and 1-10 year old counting as half a person under the housing act)
This point seemed all the more unreasonable when I looked at a prospective investment which had been converted without planning permission, in which every room was below the council size guidelines ( the property is a council freehold)but when I queried the current occupancy level I was referred to the housing act and that the council looked at overall size of property to determine reasonable levels of occupancy, however these principles were not applicable to the selective licensing area.
As I understood that the selective licensing schemes were to bring up poor levels of accommodation (with which I have no problem) it seems unreasonable to have opinions that vary across a borough.
Any opinions?
