Council takes the fight to rogue landlords
Published Thursday 6th January 11 in Council - news and information releases news
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is planning to use ‘selective licensing’ powers to crack down on errant landlords operating in the Milton and Kursaal wards.
At present only houses of multiple occupation consisting of three or more storeys with two or more households of at least five people have to be licensed in Southend.
But the 2004 Housing Act gives local authorities the power to extend its licensing powers to ALL rental properties within a specified area.
The Council wants to introduce 'selective licensing' in Milton and Kursaal in response to an increase in complaints about landlords from tenants living in the two wards.
To meet with legal requirements the authority has to consult with local residents, businesses and other interested parties who may be affected by such a change in licensing policy.
The consultation will run from January until April and if it receives approval the new licensing powers will come into force by August 2011 at the latest.
If the scheme proves successful there are plans to roll out 'selective licensing' to specified areas of other wards in the borough with a large private rented market.
Anna Waite, Executive Councillor for Adult Social Care, Health & Housing, said the introduction of the new powers was part of the Council's proactive drive to root out rogue landlords.
She said: "The vast majority of landlords in the private rented sector are very conscientious and provide good quality accommodation for their tenants.
"But there is a significant minority who fail to keep their properties in good order and turn a blind eye to anti-social behaviour by their tenants which brings misery to local communities.
"We want to introduce 'selective licensing' to the areas of the Milton and Kursaal wards where these kinds of problems currently exist in a bid to stamp them out.
"If our plans are approved all rental properties in the specified areas of each ward could be licensed.
"Landlords will have to pay for the privilege of being licensed but the sum of money involved is relatively small.
"Being licensed will work in their favour because it will act as the local authority's seal of approval and give potential tenants reassurance that they will be renting from a good landlord."
Further details on the proposed consultation will soon be available from the Council's website http://www.southend.gov.uk/