A Labour council is set to receive scores of millions of pounds from landlords under a new licensing scheme.
Owners of most privately rented homes in Hackney will require a license to let out their property. It is thought there are some 39,493 privately rented properties in Hackney, while the council has a current database of more than 10,000 landlords and agents who operate in the borough, compiled through existong licensing schemes.
Under the new and larger scheme, coming into effect next May, most landlords in Hackney will need to apply for a licence, which will cost £925 for a single home and £1,400 for an HMO.
All HMOs in Hackney made up of three or more people from two or more households, will need to have a license. This expands on the existing mandatory licenses across all of the UK for five or more people making up two or more households. A selective licensing scheme has also been introduced for almost all private rented homes in 17 of the 21 wards in Hackney – 76% of privately rented homes – meaning those homes will need a license regardless of the number of tenants. The remaining four wards will be covered by additional licensing.
A council spokesperson says: “Everyone in Hackney deserves a good, safe and secure home, and we know more must be done to make that a reality. Most landlords do the right thing, but too many renters face unacceptable conditions and poor property management.
“These conditions don’t just harm individual tenants, they also contribute to wider issues in Hackney – from disrepair to antisocial behaviour. We’ll use every tool we have to enforce against landlords who don’t play by these new rules and focus on building up a network of responsible landlords in the borough.
“We’ve long campaigned for changes to the private rented sector, including a ban on section 21 no fault evictions. This new licensing scheme alongside the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act is a big step in ensuring that we can raise standards for people in privately rented homes, support responsible landlords and help our residents have safe and well managed homes.’’
Private rented homes make up nearly a third of residential properties in Hackney and play a valuable role in providing housing for residents of the borough.
A recent independent review of Hackney’s private rented sector allegedly found that a significant proportion of privately rented homes contain serious hazards – almost double the national average. These issues are even more prevalent in houses in multiple occupation, with 30% of HMOs in the borough predicted to have a serious hazard, three times the national average.
