Four landlords are contemplating seeking a judicial review of a council’s proposed licensing scheme extension.

Middlesbrough council is consulting on extending its existing scheme to another ward. The Selective Landlord Licensing scheme has been running for a number of years in North Ormesby and Newport ward and in the council’s own words – “has led to great improvements to the areas.” So it now wants to introduce a further scheme in Newport ward.

A £998 five year fee is suggested in the consultation and one landlord has told the Yorkshire Post that the charge is ‘eye watering’ and says he and three other landlords are considering legal action.

The landlords are not named but one tells the paper: “We are going to try and stop it but if we aren’t granted permission for that challenge we are going to look at using legal loopholes to avoid paying it.

“They are starting off again six months before the current scheme even ends and putting up the fees astronomically. They do not seem to have listened to the complaints made about pricing, still wanting a large upfront fee with small reduction in year five.”

Another is quoted as saying: “It’s time now to say enough is enough and either stop or boycott the scheme.”

The council claims the fee is calculated on the cost of organising and enforcing the scheme and applications for a licence in the last 12 months of the scheme would be eligible for a reduced fee.

The council also claims that the existing, smaller scheme has led to improved property standards and a drop in anti-social behaviour. 

A spokesperson adds that the scheme “rewards” good landlords “because if they are on the list, obviously the housing is up to scratch. It stops the bad landlords who are just there to make money and don’t care about the community, don’t care about the area.”