Government backs landlord licensing despite objectives being achieved

The government has given the green light to two selective licensing schemes in areas of Burnley.

The previous five-year schemes expired at the end of last year and while the council concedes “there was an improving picture in both designations” it has nonetheless renewed the schemes for another five years.

It says its reason is that “not continuing with selective licensing at this stage would present a risk that the improvements seen will not be sustained or built on without new selective licensing designations in place.”

That decision required approval from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities which has now come through.

The council has been operating selective licensing in locations within its patch since October 2008.

It says its aim “is to support landlords and tenants and improve housing management in the private rented sector to help tackle issues such as falling house prices, anti-social behaviour, and general deprivation.”

Both areas experienced improvements in the five years that selective licensing has been operating, including a fall in the number of housing disrepair complaints received by the council, improvements to property and area security measures, and a decrease in empty houses. 

The council says there was also a fall in anti-social behaviour and environmental crime, and a rise in average house prices.

A spokesperson for the authority says: “Through a combination of initiatives including selective licensing we have started to see improvements in these areas, the continuation of selective licensing from July 2022 allows us to build upon these improvements and continue to support residents and good landlords in the areas”.

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