Another Liverpool City Region is debating proposals to bring in a selective licensing scheme for private rented homes.

Halton Council has launched a public consultation on proposals to introduce licensing in Central and West Bank, Appleton, Mersey and Weston, and Bridgewater wards as well as the Highfield area of Widnes - an estimated 3,485 private rented households and about 43% of the borough’s private rented households.

Neighbouring Liverpool Council is also currently deciding on the right selective licensing approach to replace its current scheme.

Halton’s proposal follows evidence gathered by the council showing that, in specific parts of Halton, private rented housing is more concentrated and more likely to overlap with poor property conditions, older housing stock, lower energy efficiency, affordability pressures, deprivation and household vulnerability.

Between 2020 and 2026, the four proposed full wards accounted for 257 housing condition complaints, representing 39% of all such complaints in Halton.

Stock

Stock condition modelling also estimates that 1,454 private rented homes in Halton have Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. This estimates that these hazards affect 22% of private rented homes in Mersey and Weston, 20% in Appleton, 19% in Bridgewater and 14% in Central and West Bank.

Councillor Paul Nolan, executive board portfolio holder for environment, housing and regeneration, says its plans will allow the council to proactively intervene in the five areas subject to the scheme to ensure private tenants are provided with safe, secure and healthy homes.

Tenants

“I would urge want tenants, landlords, residents, businesses and partners to read the proposals and tell us what they think and help us deliver a scheme that works,” he adds.

A licence fee of £685 per property is proposed and the consultation – which runs from 3rd August to 18th October – wants views on whether this and payment arrangements are reasonable.

The consultation survey is available here.

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