News
Apply now for 50% discount on Havering selective landlord licensing fees
Private landlords who act quickly and submit a selective licence application to the London Borough of Havering by 24 January 2021 are being offered a 50% discount, London Property Licensing can reveal.
On 14 October 2020, Havering Council’s cabinet agreed to implement new additional and selective licensing schemes covering part of the borough.
Existing licensing schemes
Havering Council already operates the mandatory HMO licensing scheme plus an additional licensing scheme that was implemented in March 2018.
The additional licensing scheme applies to all HMOs in the council wards of Brooklands, Elm Park, Gooshays, Harold Wood, Havering Park, Heaton, Mawneys, Pettits, Rainham & Wennington, Romford Town, South Hornchurch and Squirrels Heath.
According to the public register on the council’s website, Havering has issued 133 mandatory HMO licences and 143 additional licences under the existing schemes.
New licensing schemes start in January 2021
On 25 January 2021, a second additional licensing scheme will apply to all HMOs in the council wards of Cranham, Emerson Park, Hacton, Hylands, Saint Andrews and Upminster.
On the same day, a selective licensing scheme is being implemented in the council wards of Brooklands and Romford Town. The scheme will extend licensing to all private rented properties in these two wards, covering an estimated 5,000 properties.
Apply now to benefit from fee discount
According to the council’s website, landlords who submit a selective licence application by 24 January 2021 will be eligible for a 50% discount, down from £900 to £450 per property.
The full selective licensing fee of £900 per property will apply from 25 January 2021 onwards.
The council are not advertising any similar early bird discount for additional licence applications. It indicates there is a standard fee of £900 per property.
According to research by London Property Licensing, the selective licensing fee will be the joint highest selective licensing fee in London when it is introduced, whereas the additional licensing fee is set below the London average. The average selective licensing fee in London is currently £640 per property.
Councillor Viddy Persaud, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Safety at Havering Council said:
“After a consultation last year, there was support to extend this scheme. It means we can further look to help increase protection to tenants, support landlords and further support our aim of tackling poor management, overcrowding and anti-social behaviour.“
A free guide containing more detailed information about property licensing in the London Borough of Havering is available here.
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