News
Redbridge Council’s additional landlord licensing consultation ending soon
Redbridge Council’s consultation on plans to renew their additional landlord licensing scheme ends on 7 March 2022.
The original scheme began in 2017 and is due to end on 12 April 2022. Under the current scheme, licensing has been extended to all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) throughout the borough. This includes all houses and flats occupied by 3 or more people who are not all related.
The council also operates two selective licensing schemes which extend licensing to all private rented homes across a large part of the borough.
Landlords who do not apply for the correct licence can face prosecution or a hefty civil financial penalty of up to £30,000 for each offence.
If the additional licensing scheme is renewed, the council say it will help them to continue improving multi-occupied properties to make sure they are safe, well managed and well maintained.
The online consultation is available on the council’s website and consists of 24 questions. It is open to residents and all stakeholders including landlords, tenants, letting agents, and businesses.
Redbridge Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Vanisha Solanki, said:
“I would ask the Redbridge community to consider renewing the scheme to help tackle rogue landlords, raise rental property standards, and ensure better management and safety for occupants. The Licensing conditions also help the council to address crime and anti-social behaviour, so I would therefore encourage all stakeholders to complete the online questionnaire.
“Here in Redbridge not only has our population increased but since 2012 the private rented sector has increased by a staggering 64% based on 2019 estimates. The extent of poor housing conditions in the borough can be seen in the sheer volume of action taken by our housing enforcement team which includes issuing 530 financial penalties and serving over 3,000 notices. Property licensing is an intervention tool that allows local authorities to improve the condition and management of private rented properties“.
The Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said:
“Redbridge Council’s introduction of the House in Multiple Occupation licensing scheme in 2017 has empowered us to crack-down on landlords providing unsafe and poorly maintained housing.
“We introduced the HMO licensing scheme as part of a wider range of measures to improve living standards for local people. With more and more people living in private rented accommodation, local people now have the opportunity to feed into the consultation on extending the scheme to help protect conditions for people renting privately and support our council to continue cracking down on rogue landlords.“
The consultation is open until 7 March 2022 and you can find out more and share your views at: www.redbridge.gov.uk/hmoconsultation
If you would like to receive the consultation documents in an alternative format, you can email prslicensing@redbridge.gov.uk.
Our free guide containing more information about property licensing in the London Borough of Redbridge is available here.
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