Selective Licensing consultation - Knowsley Council

North West Landlords Association
‘…Selective licensing is viewed with great animosity by the landlords I know. It had
a very detrimental effect on the relationship with the local authority. Remember –
many of the landlords that will be hit by this have had their properties accredited or
are members of a landlord association and therefore feel such legislation is
unnecessary
In Bolton, we allowed a 100% discount on accredited properties, but even this did
not appease all.
Does selective licensing work? I think this is questionable, though there may be
areas where it has had the desired effect. Salford has extended their licensing
scheme for another 5 years, which makes a nonsense of the ethos behind it. In
Bolton, many would challenge whether it has worked. Or have the additional
measures put in place, with Police Community Support Officers, achieved part of
what licensing was meant to achieve?
This looked like a very large area – do the same conditions apply in all the area?
Those are just a few comments but I think they reflect the feelings of our members.
No member of a landlord association, or with contact with the accreditation schemes,
is averse to any steps to improve the sector and hit the very bad landlords who bring
the good into disrepute, but this seems like a hammer to crack a walnut – over the
top and not targeting the bad.
Stakeholder 1
‘…The area suffers from a high degree of anti-social behaviour including incidents of
gun and drug crime. Properties that are privately rented appear to be in poor
condition, incidents of landlords using threatening behaviour towards tenants’
Stakeholder 2
‘…As a registered provider in the area, Villages welcomes the proposals for selective
licensing as part of a wider strategy for reducing ant social behaviour in the area’
Stakeholder 3
‘…I don’t think River Alt side of Bluebell Lane has an issue but Reeds Rd and Bakers
Green drags the place down’
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