Lambeth council proposes UK’s most expensive selective licensing scheme

Lambeth council proposes UK’s most expensive selective licensing scheme

0:02 AM, 19th December 2023, About A year ago 16

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A London borough unveils a controversial plan, in a bid for better standards.

Lambeth Council are launching a consultation on a proposed selective licensing scheme for the city.

Landlords in the area could have to pay a whopping £923 per property in 23 of its 25 wards beginning in September 2024, making it the most expensive selective licensing scheme in the UK.

Renters living in hazardous and unacceptable conditions

The scheme will not need permission from the government but the council then wants to add a further 19 wards in 2025, which will require the Secretary of State’s approval.

Lambeth already operates London’s most expensive HMO licensing scheme at £506 per bedroom. A four-bedroom HMO in the area could already set landlords back £2,024.

Cllr Maria Kay, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “We have already taken significant action to tackle poor standards in the private rented sector, and although most landlords operating in Lambeth provide our residents with decent, well-managed and safe homes, we continue to uncover renters living in hazardous and unacceptable conditions.

“We are focused on improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities for people in Lambeth. That’s why we have launched our consultation on the private rented property sector as part of our commitment to addressing these issues.”

Only cause rent increases for innocent tenants

Mick Roberts, one of Nottingham’s largest landlords to house benefit tenants, has previously criticised Nottingham council for its selective licensing scheme.

He says the scheme is to blame for soaring rents in the city. Mr Roberts says selective licensing schemes are not the answer to better standards in the private rented sector.

He said: “Ms Kay from Lambeth Council says most landlords are good, yet she still charges them all to get at the minority bad ones. Why do all landlords need to pay £923, it’s grossly unfair, this will only cause rent increases for innocent tenants.”

The consultation runs until Monday 4th March 2024. Landlords and tenants in the area are encouraged to have their say here


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Heather G.

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13:14 PM, 20th December 2023, About A year ago

There's an article in the Independent on a family who were on the priority list in Lambeth for 6 years. When they got their council flat they had the first week without heating/boiler. There was a massive leak from upstairs and it took the council 3 days to send assessor for the leak who gave them paper towels!
Tenants reported the leak from upstairs 22 Sept, not dealt with till 30 Nov after involving their MP, councillors and Ombudsman.
Lambeth's SL conditions state "The Licence Holder must ensure that prompt action is taken to investigate and effectively address complaints about disrepair or pest infestation at the house. The LH must ensure that a written response is made to any such complaint within 21 days of receipt, stating the action that has been or will be taken."
"The LH shall ensure that inspections of the house are carried out at least every six months to identify any problems relating to the condition and management of the house."

The tenant said “I complained to my landlord and Lambeth Council and I was told it was not Lambeth’s responsibility, despite being told by the tenancy sustainment team at the council that they were there to support me for the first two years of my tenancy."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mould-social-housing-lambeth-london-b2466643.html

Yet another case of "do as I say, not as I do".

Mick Roberts

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16:16 PM, 20th December 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by CAS at 19/12/2023 - 10:09
Ha ha what a joke 3 years later.

We wun't be able to drive a car on the road would we if MOT took 3 years to come.

Mick Roberts

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16:19 PM, 20th December 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 19/12/2023 - 14:54
Wowzers,

I'll keep putting this in, as one day, someone may take me up on the offer.

If anyone has more time than me, we could do with doing Freedom of Information FOI requests on all Councils what their homeless bill is for hotels and temporary accommodation.
Since you introduced Selective Licensing.
And also to the Councils that don't have Selective Licensing.

Be nice to see (because there is one) how big the direct correlation is from those Councils with Selective Licensing and those without.

Nottingham's has shot up and they can say there are bigger issues at play here, and there are, but Selective Licensing started it all and massively contributes to it now.

I know Newham was the first to introduce Selective Licensing and their homeless was also the biggest rise afterwards

Mick Roberts

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16:20 PM, 20th December 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by JB at 19/12/2023 - 16:29
My tenants do with the MP & Councillors in Nottingham. MP don't like their emails nor the Councillors.
The Labour Councillors are totally miffed that some tenants can't stand Licensing.

Mick Roberts

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16:22 PM, 20th December 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Heather G. at 20/12/2023 - 13:14
Yes joke is't it.
Nottingham the same. Fallen down fence gets put on their program of works for next year. We have to do within 14 days or something-Which I do do anyway.

Hardworking Landlord

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15:05 PM, 24th December 2023, About A year ago

Have we now reached the point where it would just be simpler and more transparent for councils to admit they are broke and they need to take more money from landlords rather than coming up with an expensive licensing ‘scheme’ with little compliance against the rogues that will continue to offer poor accommodation?

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