A council wants to introduce private rental sector licensing as part of a pledge made back in 2018.
Plymouth’s Labour controlled council pledged two years ago that: “The vast majority of landlords in Plymouth are good and take care of their properties, but there are far too many poor quality homes. We will toughen up enforcement of housing in the private rented sector to drive up standards for renters. If, within 12 months, the private rented sector has not taken substantial steps to improve standards, we will begin the process of introducing licensing schemes for the private rented sector.”
Now it says new licensing proposals - along with national initiatives such as the government’s drive for increased energy efficiency in rental properties - will drive up standards.
A council spokesman says: "We know that most landlords in Plymouth take seriously the responsibilities they have towards their tenants. What these policies do is ensure is that the small minority who take their tenants for a ride cannot fall through the cracks; cannot make excuses and most importantly; cannot exploit the people who pay them hundreds of pounds a month in rent.”
He continues: "We said we would drive standards in the private rented sector up and with policies like these, that's exactly what we're doing.”
Part of Plymouth’s licensing proposals involve asking landlords to pay just for the application to get a licence - they pay again if they are successful and a licence is granted.
A council statement claims this approach is “increasing fairness to potential landlords by only charging the second stage fee for successful applications.”
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You haven't mentioned that this scheme is only for HMOs
Fee!!! The word that should mean you pay money and receive nothing in return. Another example of why I loathe Councils. They already have an arsenal full of weapons to attack landlords who offer poor standards as the huge fines levied shown on here today demonstrates.
Interesting logic. "The vast majority of LL are compliant and offer good housing, but rather than using our comprehensive array of powers to tackle the few transgressors, we want to create a burdensome system that means we have to interact with the entire market; creating another tier of bureaucracy and cost and undoubtly requiring more staff, in order to achieve next to nothing". I paraphrase. As far as I can see this is another interfering power grab and a money making racket.
Very well put.
Empire building they call it in an attempt to justify their existence paid for of course by captive mug LL!!
Another money grab by a Council but this time it's a double money grab they would like it twice a two tier system to get even more money. They keep spinning the idea they want to look after Tenants, then you house them. The regulation costs has driven up rents no end making rental un-affordable that how much they love tenants. Taking management and all Controls from the LL has caused property disrepair, how do you manage a property remotely this is Council idea of management just paper work or computers to satisfy their red tape but exclude the LL from the property, before 2 jags John & a Charity we had control seen what was happening first hand & dealt with it before it got worse and the Tenants understood this was the case until they drove a wedge in between us making us the bad guys. What licensing has achieved so far apart from milking LL's is the creating of Sub-letting (when the the cat is away the mice will play), over crowding, Anti-Social behavior and Cannabis Farms any of this didn't or couldn't happen before when the LL's were in Control of the Management, go on then prove me wrong I know its true.
All true but the problem is the politics of it all.
Those politics require the eradication of the small LL.
Everything is done with this in mind.
LL need to be aware that destruction is sought by Govt and Councils.
They hate small LL.
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