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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

New licensing scheme proposed to crack down on rogue landlords

A new licensing scheme designed to clampdown on unscrupulous landlords has been put forward for consideration by  Liverpool City Council.

The new proposed license, which is expected to be approved by the city council's cabinet, is set to cover 16 wards in the city, where around 20% of the homes are owned by private landlords.

The city's previous scheme expired in April after the government rejected an application to extend it. 

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It is hoped that the scheme would force rogue landlords to improve electrical and fire safety standards, and deal with issues including damp and anti-social behaviour.

The council said under the new plans, 80% of privately rented properties in the city would be covered.

Cllr Paul Brant, cabinet member for adult health and social care, commented: “For good landlords this protects them from being undercut by bad landlords who are cutting corners.”

 

However, John Stewart, policy manager for the National Residential Landlords Association, said the planned scheme was similar to those recently rejected by ministers.

He commented: “To suggest 80% of private tenant properties in Liverpool have problems is just nonsense.”

The wards included in the new scheme would be Central, Riverside, Greenbank, Kensington, Picton, Tuebrook and Stoneycroft, County, Anfield, St Michael's, Princes Park, Kirkdale, Old Swan, Warbreck, Wavertree, Fazakerley and Everton.

If approved a 12 week consultation would run from August to October and be submitted to the government in December.

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  • Andrew McCausland

    I support a well designed landlord licensing scheme where Councils target poorly managed properties and areas of housing market failure. The revised Liverpool scheme is not that.

    This LCC plan suggests 80% of private rented properties in the city are in need of monitoring through a landlord licensing scheme. Really? Where is the data to support their plans, where are the details other Councils have to produce to gain landlord (and government) support for their ideas? It is fine for the Council to say tenants, the police and fire brigade support them but the legislation is pretty clear on what they have to produce to gain approval for their plans.

    LCC's last city wide scheme proved that they don't have the resources to effectively implement a series of large scale inspections and monitoring. This smacks of another sub-optimal attempt to push through a large scale licensing scheme for political reasons rather than one targeting poor properties and bad landlords.

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    • 20 July 2020 09:37 AM

    DON'T have any issue with Licensing LL providing it is not per property and is a reasonable cost.
    Say £500 every 5 years.

    But to be effective this is what a Licensing scheme should have

    All LL with mortgages who have HB tenants to verify by letter from a lender that the LL is authorised to let to HB tenants.

    For all LL who have residential mortgages to prove by way of a lender letter that they have CTL to tenants and HB tenants if occupying.
    Also to have by way of letter the correct property insurance authorising HB tenants if occupying.
    All lettings to have an EPC E status unless exemption has been granted.

    Anyone letting on AirBnB to have lender letter authorisation
    The same from any freeholder or possibly leaseholder as well.


    If LCC enforced just that little lot there would be mass homelessness in Liverpool as LL would be forced to remove many tenants who contravene all that I have stated.

    Of course LCC won't ask for these authorisations as it knows what would happen.

    So failing to demand the necessary answers just proves what a made up process this is.
    LCC aren't being serious about Licensing.
    It is just a money making exercise

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    I would have to put up rents to cover all costs,so the tenants will pay.This type of thing is just a money making robbing landlords thing.!
    Yes ok check out places first,to see if the property demands a licence,but don't tar all of the Landlords,with the same brush!
    I keep my properties in really good condition,if money I could use to maintain them is taken off me(via licence money) I will not be able to spend that on the property.

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    • 20 July 2020 10:15 AM

    @paul Kaye

    Absolutely correct.

    As far as I am concerned, whenever the Government puts more obstructions on landlords and more financial pressure on my business, it is great for me, because I increase my rent not only by the 100% additional costs I have to pay, but I add a further 20% which immediately gets passed on to the tenant.

    And that means the Government puts more pressure on tenants and makes me richer, every time.

    Now, that is the 100% opposite to what the Government had intended. How much more stupid and misled can these Civil Servants get?

    I just hope they carry on doing it, as I make even more cash. It is a new cash cow for me.

    Many thanks to No. 10. Sheer brilliance, and I thank you so very much.

    Please carry on for a long as you can.

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    Just another cash-grabbing scheme to get even more money from landlords. A scheme that the council will put great resources and effort to make sure it gets the cash from, but few resources to actually go after the bad LLs which in reality are far, far less in number than bad tenants, those bad and anti-social tenants that council and government policies make it very difficult for LLs to deal with or evict.

    Anyway, the ever-increasing costs to LLs just get passed on to tenants... Thanks to all these lot It's an ever-increasing and expenseive business to be in, and yes a business not a bloody charity.

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    We’ve got no money so let’s come up with a way of stealing somebody else’s. legalised theft . They already have an abundance of powers to deal with so called rogue landlords.

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    • 21 July 2020 09:39 AM

    I think you'll find over the coming years that Govt and Councils will be breaking open the LL piggybank.
    They will continue to do this cos that is where the easy money is.

    The PTB know that they will lose few votes by hitting LL.
    So expect to be battered and bruised a lot more.

    Govt and Councils haven't finished with beating up LL by a long chalk!

     
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