Issue - meetings

Report of Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director for Development and Growth

Graham De Max, Housing Strategy and Partnerships Manager, and Julie Liversidge, Operations Manager, introduced the detailed report on the proposal for a scheme of additional licensing for houses in multiple occupation (HMO). They delivered a short presentation which is circulated with the initial publication of the minutes, and highlighted the following points:

(a)  there are 3 types of property licensing: Additional, Mandatory and Selective;

(b)  in Wollaton and Lenton Abbey there is only a small area which could be covered by the Additional Licensing Scheme as there are more than 10 HMOs and complaints have been received regarding 20% of those properties;

(c)  the maps in appendices 1 and 2 show the proposed area of the scheme across the City;

(d)  the area specific information includes:

·  the proposed designation includes 102 properties in Area 7, with coverage of the area bounded by Wollaton Park, Wollaton Road, Triumph Road and Derby Road;

·  although there are HMOs on the Lenton Abbey estate, it is not included as none of the output areas had more than ten HMOs;

·  the parts of Area 7 in the existing scheme are also included in the proposed designation;

·  evidence and data gathering suggests that these areas may have performed more poorly or been of increased concern due to displacement from adjoining areas where enforcement activity has been more prevalent.

(e)  the scheme will support both tenants and landlords, providing advice, ensuring mutual compliance to the scheme. Under the current Additional Licensing scheme which will expire in 2019 after 5 years, training sessions have been held for some landlords whose standards needed improving, and many others have asked for further help;

(f)  some of the poorer standard landlords have been removed from the market via enforcement action and civil penalties of up to £30,000 which have to be put into the scheme;

(g)  the conditions of the new scheme proposed for 2019-23, are closer to those of the Selective Licensing Scheme but with a two part admin fee which is returnable if a license is not granted and covers the whole period of the scheme if granted;

(h)  in the current scheme, 2,458 licenses have been issued and 265 revoked or refused. The majority of HMOs were below the required standard at first inspection;

(i)  residents are generally supportive of the scheme;

(j)  Banning Orders, preventing people from operating within the lettings market will be available within the next few weeks.

Following comments and questions from the committee the following further information as given:

(k)  concern was expressed by some members of the Committee that as landlords will be charged a fee this cost will be passed on to the tenants as a rent rise. Graham De Max responded that the fee equated to 1.3% of the rental income, which for the support available through the scheme to landlords and tenants, provides excellent value for money;

(l)  where fines are applied, the funds have to be returned to the scheme but it is not yet decided how  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9