Another Labour big city council is imposing a selective licensing scheme

The East, South & West Leeds selective licensing scheme will come into effect from February next year.

Licence conditions will include ensuring the safe working of gas or electric appliances, providing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and keeping the property in a decent state of repair, both inside and out.

The scheme will cover around 12,500 privately-rented homes and the council claims it follows “the positive results achieved by two selective licensing schemes that ran in the Beeston and Harehills areas from 2020 until the start of this year.”

During those schemes more than 6,700 inspections and other visits were conducted and improvement work was carried out by landlords at around 1,430 homes where issues were identified.

Around 400 civil penalties were issued to landlords and there were more than 1,900 referrals made to agencies that could support people with health, financial and other challenges.

A council spokesperson says: “We are determined, as a council, to ensure that everyone in Leeds can enjoy the stability and sense of security that comes with having a safe, warm and well-managed place to live.

“To do this, we need to focus on all types of housing – including private rentals, which account for a fifth of the city’s homes.

“Given the clear link that exists between poor housing and poor health, it’s our hope that this scheme will also have a really positive impact on the general wellbeing of residents in disadvantaged communities.”