Rotherham Council is to ask landlords how it should spend £500,000 to improve its selective licensing areas in the town.

The local authority is pairing its scheme with spending cash aimed at improving neighbourhood conditions over the next five years, while also strengthening enforcement, and improving support for tenants and landlords.

Rotherham renewed its scheme this week in six licensing areas (covering an estimated 4,132 licensed properties in parts of Eastwood and Clifton, Masbrough and Kimberworth, Thurcroft, Dinnington, Brinsworth and Parkgate) and has now announced it will also spend £362,000 a year to strengthen frontline enforcement including hiring staff for a new dedicated team.

The £500,000 budget will be spent on improvements such as crime‑prevention design measures and environmental upgrades, and will be allocated following discussion with tenants, residents, landlords and local ward councillors.

Focused

A spokesman tells LandlordZONE: “Historically, selective licensing activity has focused on property inspections, enforcement and improving management standards. From this year onwards, the council is, for the first time, pairing the regulatory scheme with dedicated capital and revenue investment aimed at improving neighbourhood conditions, strengthening enforcement capacity, and enhancing support for tenants and landlords. This reflects the council’s intention to deliver broader and more sustainable improvements.”

She confirms that the investment is separate from selective licensing fee income while money won’t be used to fund repairs or upgrades to rental properties.

Landlords will have a role in stakeholder panels that will help identify and prioritise neighbourhood projects and provide feedback on enforcement activity, local conditions and service improvements.

Invited

She adds: “Landlords will be invited to participate through direct communication from the council once the panels are formally launched. Information will also be published online with details on how landlords can express interest.”

The council pushed through the latest scheme despite widespread opposition from both landlords and tenants in its consultation. This revealed that although many accepted the issues the system seeks to address were real problems for them, 68% of tenants told the council they did not agree with the proposed areas for selective licensing, along with 76% of landlords.

Some respondents said the proposed fees were excessive and could lead to increased rents, landlord withdrawal from the market, and reduced property values.

‍