Preston in Lancashire has become the latest city to launch plans to introduce selective licensing within its borders.
Its council cabinet has voted through the proposals, which must by law be consulted on and will see all landlords of rented properties in three key wards required to pay a fee to licence their properties for five years or face significant fines of up to £30,000.
While the scheme is at an early stage of developments, the council has already earmarked some £250,000 to get the initiative off the ground including payments to external consultants, it has named the three wards involved - St Matthews, City Centre and Plungington.
Selective licensing is for all properties other than small and larger HMOs, which are covered by two other types of licensing – ‘mandatory’ and ‘additional’.
The council says part of its reason for introducing selective licensing is that 25% of its housing stock is now privately rented, up from 8% in 2001.
“The wider external influences of austerity, the Covid pandemic and more recently the cost-of-living crisis, have resulted in the private rented sector in Preston exhibiting under investment and a decline in standards,” a council report says.
“Regulation of the sector by the council is characterised by an Preston City Council increased demand from tenants experiencing poor living conditions.”
Council leader Matthew Brown (main image) has also told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that: “Housing remains a top priority for our administration and this initiative will add to existing plans to substantially restrict new HMOs across the entire urban area of Preston through our new local plan.
“Additionally, we will continue to work through our planning system and with registered providers to increase social and affordable housing numbers.”
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