0:03 AM, 21st December 2023, About A year ago 35
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Shocking new figures reveal Nottingham has the highest rate of homelessness across the county.
Data from Shelter reveals 2,700 people across Nottinghamshire will be homeless this Christmas. This includes around 1,340 children who are stuck in temporary accommodation such as B&Bs.
One landlord says selective licensing is to blame for the high levels of homelessness in Nottingham.
The figures reveal a stark reality in Nottingham, with one in every 162 people left without a place to call home.
One local housing charity in Nottinghamshire says the figures are “no surprise”.
Andrew Redfern the chief Executive of Framework, told the Nottingham Post: “These are shocking figures. Unfortunately, they are no surprise.
“At the sharpest end of homelessness, we are seeing an increase in rough sleeping exacerbated by the Home Office’s asylum decisions which are resulting in people being evicted from their accommodation.
“Meanwhile the Department for Work and Pensions continues its plan to create a hostile environment for supported housing and this will further increase rough sleeping in the New Year.
“Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable but a housing shortage has seen an increased use of B&Bs in areas like Nottingham.”
Earlier this year, Nottingham’s selective licensing scheme was slammed by an external auditor who said the scheme has led to tenants being made homeless.
Leading Nottingham landlord Mick Roberts raised the objection that led to the auditors stepping in and he said: “The auditor’s report hits the target when it says that licensing fees do put rents up and the scheme has seen landlords leave the rental sector.
“That means tenants are being made homeless and the council not having the data on the issue doesn’t disguise the fact that Selective Licensing, which the council claims is to improve properties does, in fact, lead to tenants being made homeless. How many people must become homeless before the council wakes up and sees what’s happening.”
Also, a recent Property118 investigation revealed rents across Nottingham have soared in recent years.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), rents in Nottingham have rocketed by nearly £200 since the introduction of the selective licensing scheme.
The council introduced the first back in August 2018, when rents in the city were £664. However, rents have been increasing rapidly since the scheme has been implemented.
When approached for comment, Nottingham council did not dispute that rents in the city have gone up after licensing was introduced but, told us that selective licensing is not to blame and the reason is down to recent interest rate hikes.
“The increase in rents that are quoted from the ONS data 2018 to 2023 might have something to do with the huge spike in interest rates in the past couple of years, pushing up mortgage payments for thousands of landlords.”
The council added the scheme is not designed to make a profit.
“Selective licensing is not income-generating – councils are not permitted to make a profit. Licence fees solely cover the costs of setting up, operating, and delivering the scheme in the city.”
Mick Roberts
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Sign Up10:13 AM, 22nd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Jim K at 21/12/2023 - 18:52
Councils have gave me tenants 20 years ago & said She's not great, don't do the garden, but we'll support her.
Same Council, albeit different department aka Licensing now say Mick if she don't do the garden, £30,000 Civil penalty coming your way.
On the waste, we look out the window, see what bin neighbour has put out & Voila, it works. Ooh no not now Licensing here, it's Landlords responsibility. Tenant not smart enough now to put bin out.
My tenants don't want inspections-Where is their choice? After all, isn't Licensing for them?
Mick Roberts
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Sign Up10:15 AM, 22nd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 22/12/2023 - 08:26
Well keep in touch JB please as I may not get all mine done till April 5 months late & we need evidence from other Landlords who suffer the same with their chaotic 1980's website.
Mick Roberts
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Sign Up10:21 AM, 22nd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Trapped Landlord at 22/12/2023 - 08:53
Yes, it's shocking what side effects, consequences Licensing courses with associated costs.
Phone on 24 hours a day.
Can't live abroad-Must sell house make tenants homeless that's lived there 20 years& have no problems with Landlord abroad. I'm away a lot & can get keys quicker to my tenants than the Council can. Me 10 mins. Council 7 days.
Mick Roberts
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Sign Up10:30 AM, 22nd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Trapped Landlord at 22/12/2023 - 09:15
Wow that's shocking. This is the problem taking all the onus away from the actual person causing the trouble & blaming the Landlord. They do it more then. And we pack up = higher rents for tenants.
Pobinr
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Sign Up8:34 AM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
It's not a housing crisis its an immigration crisis. Legal net migration 745,000 last year = 6230 new homes needed every week mostly squashed into England.
Trapped Landlord
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Sign Up9:00 AM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 22/12/2023 - 10:30
The double standards are eye watering , its like me saying , " you as the local authority and landlord of everyone in this council estate are responsible for everything your tenants do not only inside the property, but out in streets aswell, so the moment one of you 5000 tenants has a domestic in the house or drives around uninsured , you should be stripped of your ability to manage ALL 5000 properties "
JB
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Sign Up9:24 AM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Mick Roberts at 22/12/2023 - 10:15
Mick -we can keep in touch. Here's one of the error messages I had:
We're sorry, but something went wrong. Please try again, and if this persists, contact the website administrator.
Error ID # [c812c350-906c-4dd7-b215-46981b657455]
We've been notified about this issue and we'll take a look at it shortly. Thank you for your patience.
The housing department told me to keep trying (it took at least 4 hours!) and send the form even if it was only part filled in and they'd alter it manually. If I missed the date it would trigger various other procedures. I think they're in a pickle.
Jessie Jones
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Sign Up13:59 PM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by JB at 22/12/2023 - 08:26
Not sure the dishwasher and microwave need PAT testing. The clue is in the name: Portable. If they are assessed as part of your EICR then that should be sufficient. But I accept that Nottingham City Council are full of idiots who make up their own rules and it costs more to fight them than it does to give in.
JB
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Sign Up14:10 PM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
Reply to the comment left by Jessie Jones at 23/12/2023 - 13:59
They do not need PAT testing this year (they are new) but will need it every year thereafter
Jessie Jones
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Sign Up14:38 PM, 23rd December 2023, About A year ago
Selective Licensing in Nottingham first started 1st August 2018.
On 16th October 2019 the BBC did an article based on ONS figures which said that the highest rent increases in the previous year, across the country, were in Nottingham. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50056177
This is a clear indication that Selective Licensing has a direct and immediate impact on the cost of renting.
Notably, during the recent application that Nottingham City Council made to renew the scheme, no mention was made of the financial impact of the scheme on the residents. This is as much a damning indictment of the Tory Government, not to require such an impact assessment, as it is of the Labour controlled council, for ignoring it.
Notes:
At this time BofE base rates rose from 0.5% to 0.75%, but of course this affects the entire country
Zoopla estimates that 40% of rental properties are unencumbered. Of the remaining 60% which have a mortgage, the 'typical' is a 2 year fixed rate, so only 30% will have been affected by the tiny 0.25% interest rate increase.