Selective Licensing consultation - Knowsley Council

Introduction
Selective Licensing is a tool that has been available to local authorities since the
introduction of the Housing Act 2004 to help tackle, along with other measures,
certain problems associated with private rented properties.
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council has a good track record of using a range of
interventions to tackle problems within the private rented sector, from providing
support and advice to landlords on disrepair and management issues to use of
legislative powers to improve property standards.
There is still a lack of formal regulation in the sector. As such, landlords and
managing /letting agents do not have to demonstrate that they are competent or able
to manage tenants, tenancies or properties well – they are relatively free to practice
as they like. The only real exceptions to this are those who own and manage certain
larger Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) who have a mandatory duty to licence
their properties.
Provision contained in Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004 enables Local Authorities who
have identified a link between significant and persistent problems caused by ASB
and / or low demand for housing whether to implement a Selective Licensing
Scheme that may, when combined with other measures, work to reduce or eliminate
the problem.
Selective licensing works by licensing landlords (or their managing agent) who own
(or manage) properties in the designated area. Various reasonable conditions, can
then be applied to the licence which readily enables the Local Authority to be able to
formally challenge the management practices of the landlord or managing agent to
take action to deal with their tenants who cause or are associated with ASB.
Selective licensing also allows for conditions to be placed on a licence to address
standards within the dwelling and would therefore fit into the Council’s continuing
regeneration of the area.
Whilst most landlords provide decent well-managed and maintained accommodation,
and follow good management practices enabling them to run successful tenancies
which do not cause any problems for the local community, on occasions anti-social
behaviour and crime can have a detrimental impact upon a community. Such antisocial
behaviour and crime may result from the inability of a landlord to effectively
manage the behaviour of its tenants.
Selective licensing will impose effective regulation upon the private rented sector
thereby imposing management standards designed to:
• reduce and tackle anti-social behaviour;
• support and train private landlords;
• provision of better housing and management standards in the longer term;
• improved image and perception for an area;
• a positive economic future for the local community and local businesses,
including private landlords.
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