Mansfield is the latest major district council to give the green light to selective licensing within its borders following a consultation last year.
It will now charge landlords between £650 and £800 for a five-year licence, although the council is considering discounts for early applicants and members of recognised landlord associations.
Non-compliant landlords are to face fines of up to £30,000 and those that breach licence conditions will also face fines of up to £5,000.
The areas covered under the consultation are areas within Central ward and Bancroft, West Bank and Wainwright wards, Market Warsop ward, Eakring and Rock Hill wards. This affects an estimated 1,200 properties in total.
The council says it wants to use the scheme to improve the quality of properties across its private rented sector in areas which it says feature high levels of deprivation.
Jill Finnesey (pictured), Assistant Director for Housing, said: “This next phase of the selective licensing scheme is a vital step in the council’s mission to improve the quality and safety of housing for residents across Mansfield.
“By working collaboratively with responsible landlords, we aim to ensure that every tenant has access to a well-managed home that meets decent living standards. This scheme gives us the tools to support good practice and take firm action where housing conditions fall short.”
But the comments within the consultation by some landlords were less than flattering, with one saying: "The council never support good landlords - as per everything these days [the council does] not have the bottle to go after the bad [landlords] properly by enforcing the powers [it] already has".
The council is hosting a series of drop-in sessions where officers and partners will be available to answer questions and provide assistance with the application process.
Landlords can apply from 12th June for a licence, and the scheme is due to go live on 13th September.
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