Salford City Council

1
Salford City Council

• Landlord Licensing
• Zoë Whiteside
• Principal Officer,Market Support Team,Housing
  Services

2
Why Introduce Licensing

• Anti social behaviour
• Vandalism
• Empty Properties
• Risk of Fire in Houses In Multiple Occupation
• Inexperienced landlords
• Unsatisfactory landlords

3
Landlord Licensing what is it ?

• Housing Act 2004, expected to come into force in
  December 2005
• Will require landlords to obtain a license and
  adhere to license conditions
• Mandatory licensing of Houses in Multiple
  Occupation with 3 or more storeys, 5 or more
  people and 2 or more households,
• Additional licensing of HMOs
• Selective licensing of other private dwellings
  where the local authority considers it will
  benefit tenants and communities, areas of low
  demand and/or areas with problems of anti social
  behaviour.

4
Application criteriaFit and Proper Status

• Consideration to be given to
• Unspent convictions which may be relevant to an
  application in particular
• (a) Any offence involving fraud or other
  dishonesty, or violence or drugs or any Schedule
  3 to the Sexual Offences Act
• (b) Any unlawful discrimination on grounds of
  sex, colour, race, ethnic or national origins or
  disability in, or in connection with, the
  carrying on of any business
• (c) Contravention of any provision of the law
  relating to housing or of landlord and tenant
  law (including any civil proceedings)

5
Other application criteria

• Provide written statements of tenancy obligations
  inventories
• Gas electrical safety certificates
• Declaration of furniture safety
• Provision for dealing with Anti Social Behaviour
• Fee payable
• Houses In Multiple Occupation-additionally
  physical standards,maximum number of occupants

6
Benefits Of Licensing

• Reduce Anti social Behaviour
• Support training for responsible landlords
• Exclude rogue landlords
• Halt area decline
• Better housing standards for private tenants
• Benefit to wider community business
• Contributes to creation of sustainable
  communities

7
Salfords Approach to Licensing

• Intend to make full use of powers
• Selective Licensing expected to be introduced
  from December 2005
• Selective licensing combined with proactive
  inspection
• HMO Licensing from December 2005
• Links with Accreditation
• Multi agency approach

8
Progress Action Plan

• Consultation with private landlords
• Ongoing consultation with all those affected by
  Licensing
• Confirm areas for selective licensing
• Accurately identify accurate details of
  properties landlords who will require a license
  
• Link with legal services and the police on
  information sharing.
• To develop protocols procedures on licensing in
  liaison with Office Of Deputy Prime Minister

9
Have your say

• Do you agree with the proposals ?
• Would you like more information about landlord
  licensing ?
• Would you like to be involved in developing the
  scheme ?
• Please complete the consultation sheet attached
  and return in the prepaid envelope