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Another council poised to extend licensing regime

A property licensing scheme covering hundreds of private rented homes in Newcastle looks set to be renewed for a third time.

Newcastle council will this week be asked to redesignate two areas for selective licensing.

It follows a consultation with landlords, managing agents, businesses, residents and tenants which ran from November last year to January. There were 170 comments, and while most landlords disagreed with the scheme, 62 per cent of residents backed it.  

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Property licensing was first introduced in Greater High Cross in 2010 and in Byker Old town in 2011 and ran for five years as a response to low demand for properties, poor living conditions and alleged anti-social behaviour.   

When it expired in 2015 and 2016 respectively, they were renewed.  

Research reportedly showed living conditions had improved and demand for properties had gone up, but while anti-social behaviour levels had improved, the problem remains higher in both areas than in other areas of the city, and higher than the city average, prompting a recommendation the scheme be renewed for a third time.  

Cabinet member for Housing and Regulation, Councillor Linda Hobson, says: “We value the significant contribution the private rented sector makes in our city, but we want to ensure it grows in a way which is good for tenants, landlords and the city as a whole and we have decent living conditions.”

A license costs £650 per property and is spent by the council administering and enforcing the scheme.

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  • George Dawes

    They'll put it up every year screwing prs out of business then take the property off them and rent out themselves

    all part of the long term plan along with the epc crap

  • icon

    Only 62% of Residents backed the Scheme, very strange or why ask people who don’t have to apply or comply, (what answer do you expect).

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