News: Selective licensing set to be extended across Rotherham
A scheme designed to improve housing conditions, crackdown on anti-social behaviour and protect tenants and communities from poor property management is set to be considered by Rotherham Council.
Selective licencing began in Rotherham in 2015 for properties in Eastwood, Masbrough, Dinnington and Maltby. It was later expanded to Parkgate and Thurcroft. The aim is to tackle the low housing demand and significant and persistent levels of antisocial behaviour related to the private rented sector.
The five year designations require landlords in specific areas of Rotherham to apply for a licence before renting out properties, funding proactive inspections and helping ensure homes meet essential safety and management standards.
The Council’s Cabinet will be asked to consider the introduction of new Selective Licensing designations later this month and, if approved, the new scheme will be introduced next year and run until 2031, covering areas including Rotherham town centre, Eastwood, Clifton, Boston Castle, Masbrough, Kimberworth, Thurcroft, Dinnington, Brinsworth, and Parkgate - all identified as having poor property conditions or high levels of deprivation.
The previous designation in Maltby is not proposed to be renewed after significant improvements were seen in the area during the 2020-25 period.
The cabinet paper explains: "Both previous schemes have delivered significant improvements to the condition and management of private sector rented properties in the designated areas. However, the latest information available from the 2020 to 2025 scheme also demonstrates that landlord behaviours in the majority of cases have not changed sufficiently to achieve the desired goal.
"The lack of a behavioural change in both landlord and tenants in all areas, in some cases over 2 periods of Selective Licensing shows that many landlords are still not proactively managing their tenancies, only becoming involved when the Council highlights issues. Some use this continuing non-compliance to illustrate previous schemes have failed. However, it is likely that without the 2020-25 proactive Scheme, 1,470 households would still be living in hazardous or poor living conditions."
Despite the first scheme which ran from 2015 to 2020, the second 2020-25 scheme saw over 2,300 properties inspected, requiring landlords to address more than 8,000 hazards. 13% of properties (1 in 7) were found to have the most serious Category 1 hazards. 155 Emergency Prohibition Notices were issued in circumstances where properties were unsafe for habitation.
More than 2,000 cases of anti-social behaviour and nuisance were addressed, and £40m worth of illegal cannabis grows were seized. 15 successful prosecutions were undertaken, while a further 23 cases are ongoing.
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The boundaries of proposed designations have been reduced so as not to cover areas unnecessarily. The overall Standard Licence Fee, made up from a Part 1 and Part 2 charge will be marginally reduced to £975, while landlords with a track record of providing good quality properties will be entitled to significant discounts on fees.
The council will also offer training opportunities to assist landlords and is setting out area plans to help bring further improvements to affected areas.
For 2020 – 2025 the licence fee income to the council was £1,161,093 with the total scheme cost of £1,294,898 for administration and maintenance. The estimated cost of the maintenance element is £2,968,163 over the next five years.
Cllr Linda Beresford, Cabinet Member for Housing at Rotherham Council, said: “The simple truth is that in some parts of the borough, too many private tenants are living in unsafe and poorly maintained properties. Dangerous electrical connections, damaged walls and ceilings, even on one occasion a property with everything including the toilet in just one room - no one should have to live like that. Poor housing has knock on effects for people’s health and the state of the wider community. There are honourable exceptions, but too often landlords in these areas have been too slow to step up and meet their responsibilities.
“We’ve listened carefully to feedback from landlords and residents, particularly around concerns about cost - both to landlords and the potential impact on tenants.
“So our plans include significant discounts for proven responsible landlords. The worst case scenario for tenants living in these properties, even if the full cost is passed on to them, is an increase in rents of less than £1 per week. But the flip side of this is that the costs of the scheme will fall disproportionately on those who try to opt out of their legal responsibilities.
“We also heard from residents who felt we had not got the boundaries quite right, so we’ve looked closely and made changes as a result.
“In the end though we won’t resile from our obligations to tenants and communities who are left at the sharp end of poor housing. Ultimately this is about working together to create safer, healthier communities.”
RMBC website
Images: RMBC
Selective licencing began in Rotherham in 2015 for properties in Eastwood, Masbrough, Dinnington and Maltby. It was later expanded to Parkgate and Thurcroft. The aim is to tackle the low housing demand and significant and persistent levels of antisocial behaviour related to the private rented sector.
The five year designations require landlords in specific areas of Rotherham to apply for a licence before renting out properties, funding proactive inspections and helping ensure homes meet essential safety and management standards.
The Council’s Cabinet will be asked to consider the introduction of new Selective Licensing designations later this month and, if approved, the new scheme will be introduced next year and run until 2031, covering areas including Rotherham town centre, Eastwood, Clifton, Boston Castle, Masbrough, Kimberworth, Thurcroft, Dinnington, Brinsworth, and Parkgate - all identified as having poor property conditions or high levels of deprivation.
The previous designation in Maltby is not proposed to be renewed after significant improvements were seen in the area during the 2020-25 period.
The cabinet paper explains: "Both previous schemes have delivered significant improvements to the condition and management of private sector rented properties in the designated areas. However, the latest information available from the 2020 to 2025 scheme also demonstrates that landlord behaviours in the majority of cases have not changed sufficiently to achieve the desired goal.
"The lack of a behavioural change in both landlord and tenants in all areas, in some cases over 2 periods of Selective Licensing shows that many landlords are still not proactively managing their tenancies, only becoming involved when the Council highlights issues. Some use this continuing non-compliance to illustrate previous schemes have failed. However, it is likely that without the 2020-25 proactive Scheme, 1,470 households would still be living in hazardous or poor living conditions."
Despite the first scheme which ran from 2015 to 2020, the second 2020-25 scheme saw over 2,300 properties inspected, requiring landlords to address more than 8,000 hazards. 13% of properties (1 in 7) were found to have the most serious Category 1 hazards. 155 Emergency Prohibition Notices were issued in circumstances where properties were unsafe for habitation.
More than 2,000 cases of anti-social behaviour and nuisance were addressed, and £40m worth of illegal cannabis grows were seized. 15 successful prosecutions were undertaken, while a further 23 cases are ongoing.
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The boundaries of proposed designations have been reduced so as not to cover areas unnecessarily. The overall Standard Licence Fee, made up from a Part 1 and Part 2 charge will be marginally reduced to £975, while landlords with a track record of providing good quality properties will be entitled to significant discounts on fees.
The council will also offer training opportunities to assist landlords and is setting out area plans to help bring further improvements to affected areas.
For 2020 – 2025 the licence fee income to the council was £1,161,093 with the total scheme cost of £1,294,898 for administration and maintenance. The estimated cost of the maintenance element is £2,968,163 over the next five years.
Cllr Linda Beresford, Cabinet Member for Housing at Rotherham Council, said: “The simple truth is that in some parts of the borough, too many private tenants are living in unsafe and poorly maintained properties. Dangerous electrical connections, damaged walls and ceilings, even on one occasion a property with everything including the toilet in just one room - no one should have to live like that. Poor housing has knock on effects for people’s health and the state of the wider community. There are honourable exceptions, but too often landlords in these areas have been too slow to step up and meet their responsibilities.
“We’ve listened carefully to feedback from landlords and residents, particularly around concerns about cost - both to landlords and the potential impact on tenants.
“So our plans include significant discounts for proven responsible landlords. The worst case scenario for tenants living in these properties, even if the full cost is passed on to them, is an increase in rents of less than £1 per week. But the flip side of this is that the costs of the scheme will fall disproportionately on those who try to opt out of their legal responsibilities.
“We also heard from residents who felt we had not got the boundaries quite right, so we’ve looked closely and made changes as a result.
“In the end though we won’t resile from our obligations to tenants and communities who are left at the sharp end of poor housing. Ultimately this is about working together to create safer, healthier communities.”
RMBC website
Images: RMBC
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