Selective Licensing Regulations

The Housing Act 2004 gives Local Councils power to introduce Selective Licensing in its area, subject to specific Government criteria being met and a legal process being followed. In areas where selective licensing applies, landlords must apply for a licence if they want to rent out a property. This means that the Council can check whether they are a “fit or proper person” to be a landlord, as well as making other stipulations concerning property management and appropriate safety measures.

Selective Licensing schemes give councils greater powers to deal with problem landlords and to help improve the way private rented houses are managed, making sure that tenants can have safe and comfortable homes.

PENALTIES

Numerous, otherwise law-abiding, landlords are unaware they are operating in a selective licensing area and are breaking the rules by not holding a licence. Landlords who let a property without having a licence would be committing an offence, and could face an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £30,000.

WE CAN HEHP

Care4properties provides free consultations in assisting Landlords to become compliant with the Selective licensing regulations. You can either:

• Give us a call on 0113-2488181 for a free consultation; Or
• email us at info@care4properties.co.uk; Or
• text us at 07964 807326.

WHEN DOES THE SCHEME COME INTO FORCE?

The scheme becomes applicable from 6 January 2020 and landlords will be required to have for a Selective Licence for each of their properties in the designated areas.

LICENSING FEE

The fee for a Selective Licence will be £825 per property. A discount of £150 per licence will be available to applicants who own the property to be licensed, who are proposing to be the licence holder and who, at the time of making their application are confirmed members of the Leeds Rental Standard.

Following recent case law, the fee will be charged in two parts. One part, £425 on making the application and one part, £400 or £250 for members of the Leeds Rental Standard, which will be payable only if the application is successful.

ARE YOU IN A SELECTIVE LICENSING AREA?

Areas covered by the scheme in Leeds are located in Gipton and Harehills & Richmond Hill and Burmantofts Ward, Beeston and Holbeck & Hunslet and Riverside Wards.

Please contact us to find out whether your property area is covered by the scheme.

EXEMPTIONS FROM SELECTIVE LICENSING

Some properties are exempt from the Selective Licensing regulations and would not need a licence. These are:

• holiday lets
• business premises
• socially let properties
• student premises where the university is the landlord
• premises where the tenant is a family member
• any property where the landlord already holds an HMO license

October 3, 2019