Medway Council aims to introduce selective and additional licensing schemes to clamp down on problem rented properties.

The unitary authority, which covers a large swathe of Kent including Rochester and Gillingham, is set to bring in an additional scheme in Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton and Watling - the six wards with the highest number of known and predicted HMOs – later this year.

Medway estimates that it has 1,018 HMOs across all 24 wards. A council report explains that 232 of these are predicted to have serious hazards - 23% of all HMOs, which is more than double the national average of 10%. Chatham Central & Brompton have the highest percentage of HMOs with predicted hazards at 36% - almost four times the national average.

Evidence

The report adds: “Our evidence also shows that a high proportion of additional HMOs in Medway are being managed ineffectively, proven by the cumulative presence of serious housing hazards and complaints about poor housing conditions and inadequate property management.”

Meanwhile, a new selective scheme – planned for launch in November - would cover Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Strood North & Frindsbury and Watling. These seven wards are estimated to cover 52% of the PRS in Medway.

The council received 2,154 complaints from PRS tenants (excluding known HMOs) in these seven wards over a five-year period, according to the report.

Property

Landlords would have to fork out £840 per property under the selective scheme, while the proposed additional licence fee is £1,600 per property – at the higher end of fees in England.

Councillor Louwella Prenter, portfolio holder for housing and homelessness, says: “Everyone deserves to have a safe, secure and stable home – and bringing in these licensing schemes is another step in the right direction to ensure renters, and reputable landlords, in Medway have that protection.”

A consultation runs until 31st May.

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