Our licensing blog this month takes a look at current licensing consultations, and the latest licensing news. Don’t forget, NRLA members can learn more about responding to licensing consultations in our new licensing toolkit.
Current licensing consultations
Landlords in Tower Hamlets are being urged to respond to a selective licensing consultation on plans to “renew, alter or end” a selective licensing scheme that is currently operational in three areas of the London borough. The scheme is due to come to an end in October 2021. Landlord with a rental property in this area? You have until 20th November to respond to the plans, and can do so by completing a questionnaire online here.
Elsewhere, Salford City Council has also launched a consultation recently on plans to introduce a borough-wide HMO licensing scheme.
If given the go ahead, the scheme would mean all landlords with HMOs (that do not already fall into the scope of mandatory licensing) in Salford would be required to obtain a licence to continue to rent the property out lawfully. This consultation doesn’t close until January, so to read more about what is being proposed and respond directly to the consultation, click here.
In Cornwall, following an inquiry into the private rented sector, there are some calls for Cornwall Council to introduce a landlord licensing scheme. The NRLA will keep members updated with the latest on this.
New licensing schemes
As well as the current licensing consultations, there are some areas where new licensing schemes are due to be introduced.
Havering Council announced this month it is going ahead with its additional and selective licensing scheme. The new schemes will both come into force on 25th January 2021, and will last for five years. The additional HMO licensing designation will apply to all Houses in Multiple Occupation (“HMOs’’) that are privately rented and occupied under a tenancy or a licence unless it is an HMO that is subject to mandatory licensing. The selective licensing scheme will apply to all privately rented properties in the wards of Brooklands and Romford Town.
Finally, it’s not often in this licensing blog that we report on licensing schemes that have now expired, but several licensing schemes in London ended this month, including a scheme in Islington and another in Croydon.
The NRLA aims to respond to all local authority licensing consultations. This month the association responded to a consultation run by Charnwood Council, and another consultation that was run by Liverpool City Council.
To keep up to date with more licensing related stories, be sure to visit the regional news section of the NRLA’s news centre.