Council will use a third-party firm for inspecting rented homes

Council will use a third-party firm for inspecting rented homes

0:03 AM, 22nd June 2023, About 2 years ago 21

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A city council is to hire a third-party firm to carry out the licencing inspections of private rented homes at a cost of £4.4million over five years – while pocketing £1,014,500.

Peterborough City Council also says that when its new selective licensing scheme is approved by the government, landlords will have three inspections over five years.

That is more than the once every five years the council managed under the last scheme.

The private firm, Home Safe Scheme, also says it will clamp down on criminal landlords.

Funded from the selective licensing fees collected

The council report states that the third-party provider will be funded from the selective licensing fees collected.

And the report makes clear the council will receive a proportion of the fees to cover the cost of issuing the licence.

That will be issued after the third party has completed all of the relevant compliance checks.

Councillors were told that a tendering process saw one tender being submitted and selected.

£4.4million from the licence fee income

The provider looks set to receive around £4.4million from the licence fee income over the contract.

And the council report states: “The council would retain approximately £1,014,500 from licence fees derived from the Scheme.”

The company’s website states the licensing scheme will be delivered on time and on budget.

Plus, they will ‘have a clear focus’ on criminal landlords.

Peterborough’s new selective licensing scheme will cover 9,000 houses – around 40% of the city’s private rented stock.


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Michael Crofts

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19:04 PM, 24th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Where I live the District Council has engaged a private contractor to carry out a sample survey of houses to determine the condition of the "housing stock". I'm not sure whether the survey includes PRS properties or just owner/occupied. Anyway, judging by what I have read on Facebook groups the so-called inspectors are regarded as interfering busybodies and most people are saying they won't open the door to them. Our area is an ex-mining community and anyone who tries to force an entry to a house is probably going to need a good reconstructive dentist afterwards. The backlash really is as bad as that.

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