Another council has approved plans to introduce a Selective Licensing scheme, claiming it will ensure that properties are effectively managed and maintained. 

Senior councillors in North East Lincolnshire have agreed that following a 10-week public consultation earlier this year, and analysis of the findings, the introduction of Selective Licensing “will enable the council to intervene effectively to help raise housing standards, reduce anti-social behaviour, and allow the council to deal with non-compliant landlords who let out properties which do not meet current standards.”

Results of the public consultation showed that 60% of the 202 residents who took part in the survey were in support of the scheme, whereas the majority of landlords were not.

A council statement says: “The scheme is designed to collaborate with landlords and tenants to help residents live in their homes longer, by working towards making it a better place to live. 

“Overall, the majority of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed with the approach. 

“It aims to improve the quality of housing, improve health inequalities, support households to maintain a tenancy, and help to build a community where people want to live.”

The ward in which the licensing will apply – East Marsh – is in the top 1% of the most deprived wards in the country. The crime rate is the highest in the borough.

The council statement goes on: “One of the concerns for landlords and tenants in the consultation was the cost of the Selective Licensing scheme and whether it will impact on rents.

“The Council is mindful of the impact of the licence fee on landlords and says it will seek to operate the scheme as efficiently as possible

“It also proposed that a review of the fee structure and delivery mechanisms is undertaken to ensure the scheme delivers value for money. It says the fee structure must cover only the costs of running the proposed scheme on a cost recovery basis.”

A spokesperson for the authority comments: “The introduction of Selective Licensing in the East Marsh supports the strategic aims of this Council by supporting a Stronger Economy and Stronger Communities.

“We have listened to people in the East Marsh and they want better living conditions, they want to sleep safe in their beds, and they want to not have to worry about poor housing conditions or high crime impacting their lives.

“Selective Licensing will enable conditions for good and sustainable homes, allowing residents to live a healthy life, nurturing our children and building their future, supporting our adults and contributing to clean and safe streets.”