A new scheme to improve standards of private rental housing in Peterborough has attracted over 7,000 applications from landlords since its launch in March.
The scheme, aimed at raising standards in the private rental sector, has achieved a substantial landlord response despite receiving some initial criticism.
Peterborough City Council launched its Selective Licensing initiative which requires landlords in designated areas of the city to apply for a five-year licence to prove their accommodation meets certain standards.
During the consultation period and subsequent landlord forums, concerns were raised around the complexity of the application process. In response, the council, working with our direct delivery partner Home Safe, introduced a straightforward online application and licence management portal to make the process easier for landlords to comply.
To date, 1,759 draft licences and over 500 final licences have been issued, with all draft licences for valid applications expected to be completed by October. Final licences are anticipated to be fully issued by the end of November. This is despite over 45 per cent of applications requiring additional support after they were submitted with incorrect information or expired certificates.
Councillor Amjad Iqbal, Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “We’re delighted with the initial response to Selective Licensing, which shows that the vast majority of landlords in the designated areas are committed to providing good quality housing for their tenants. We would encourage anyone who hasn’t yet applied for the scheme to get in touch with us as soon as possible.
“As a council, we are fully committed to working with partners and landlords to improve accommodation standards across the city. This ties in with our key priority of creating strong and sustainable communities, which is vitally important for the wellbeing of Peterborough residents.”
Mike Brook, Scheme Manager at Home Safe, said: “The volume of applications received in recent months is very encouraging and is evidence of the fact that the council has made it easier and quicker for landlords to comply with their obligations. We’re pleased to see that the online process is proving effective with the average time to complete an application taking just a matter of minutes."
Carl Agar, Chief Executive at Home Safe, added: "We're pleased to offer our extensive licensing expertise to help Peterborough City Council deliver the best possible licensing scheme and improve housing standards for tenants.”
As part of the scheme, a property inspection programme will get underway in September and forums will be set up for landlords explaining how this will work. The council will be hosting three forums on 30 August to provide details of the inspection programme and exactly what to expect.
It is an offence for a landlord to rent a property in a designated area without applying for a Selective Licence. Landlords with unlicensed rented properties can face a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from a court. Landlords could also be ordered to repay up to 12 months' rent. This will be a huge focus for the council in the coming months with prosecution cases already under consideration.
For more information about Selective Licensing and how to apply visit here