A survey of local council private rental licensing schemes says 19 selective and additional licensing schemes and consultations will be taking place within the first four months of 2024.
Already this year six new licensing schemes have begun - they’re in Greenwich, Nottingham, Islington, Warwick, and Luton.
London takes the lead with active consultations starting in Haringey, Lambeth, Waltham Forest, and most recently Bexley, all indicating council objectives to implement new selective and additional licensing measures across the capital.
Luton has been the most recent council to implement new licensing schemes, with both additional and selective measures launching this week.
Fourteen schemes are also set to terminate this year, but with a strong likelihood of scheme renewals.
The impending Renters Reform Bill and calls for landlords to discontinue selective licensing schemes makes it highly probable that councils will push to renew these measures before the passing of the bill.
Newham council recently issued its first ever banning order to a landlord letting out an unlicensed property, emphasising the common trend in councils for stronger enforcement against non-compliant agents and landlords in the face of new schemes.
Orla Shields, chief executive of Kamma - the firm conducting the survey - says: "2024 is a pivotal year for property licensing in the UK. With a record number of new schemes and consultations, the landscape is shifting rapidly. Landlords and agents must be vigilant in ensuring that their properties are licensed "
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
.png)
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
Just a money making racket to shore up the financially incompetent public sector
LAs have realised they can fund their entire housing dept on the back of SL & the Govt keeps signing off on them! Just what tenants need in a housing crisis - more rent rises!
Look for what they see as a seat of money. Then pick its pockets. Legalised theft is easy when you have a little bit of power. Why do we vote the same poor quality people to govern over us again and again?
They are all jumping on the bandwagon. When Renters Reform Bill goes through we will probably have to fund the Ombudsman as well.
Not probably, Margaret, guaranteed!
Just what we needed a Tax Consultancy Company has just jumped on the Section 21 Band Wagon. What took them so long they nearly missed the sinking ship. They are calling Section 21 a loop hole where have they been and that’s not the only thing they got wrong virtually everything in the article is baseless and hear say.
Another law Firm with self interest drumming up business at landlords expense and causing more homelessnesses.
These charges go directly to the tenant in higher rents.
This in madness. There will be no private landlords left.
Please login to comment