Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Regeneration and the Director for Adult Social Care and Health Integration submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to present and consider the outcome of the ten week public consultation and to recommend that the area of North Ormesby, shown in Appendix A of the submitted report, be re-designated for Selective Landlord Licensing.

 

An Executive decision was made on 1 September 2020 to commence consultation on the re-designation of a Selective Landlord Licensing Scheme in the North Ormesby Ward.

 

During the 10 week consultation the following were received:

·        7 telephone calls;

·        22 emails; and

·        60 proforma online responses.

 

The report attached at Appendix D of the submitted report showed a summary of the e-mail and telephone call responses.

 

In summary, the majority of the 29 email/telephone responses came from landlords/managing agents with 12 objecting to the scheme for a range of reasons including:

·        the cost of the scheme/landlords should not be required to pay it;

·        the Selective Landlord Licensing scheme was not effective;

·        landlords did not see the expected outcomes;

·        landlords did not get enough support from the Council; and

·        good landlords were penalised for the behaviour of irresponsible landlords.

 

The document attached at Appendix E of the submitted report provided a full breakdown of the 60 proforma responses, which were received during the consultation process. An analysis of the 60 questionnaires showed they originated from:

·        3 business owners;

·        8 interested parties;

·        18 landlords in the proposed licensing zone; and

·        31 tenants/residents in the proposed licensing zone.

 

In summary, the tenant’s proforma responses showed support for the scheme by stating that:

·        Selective Landlord Licensing would tackle some of the issues in North Ormesby;

·        they agreed with the proposed licence conditions, proposed programmes of inspections and the tenancy support arrangements;

·        they agreed that properties were not maintained to a good standard; and

·        they agreed that landlords behaved irresponsibly in the letting of their properties.

 

In summary, the landlord’s proforma responses mostly stated objections to the scheme by stating:

·        they disagreed that it would tackle issues in North Ormesby;

·        56% disagreed with the licence conditions;

·        there was no clear indication of favour for the inspection programme;

·        they supported the additional penalty for late payment of fees;

·        there was no clear indication on whether landlords maintained their properties to a good standard; and

·        44% did not agree that the private rented sector was an issue.

 

Whilst all responses had been fully considered, and responded to, there had been two objections which had received significant consideration. Those were:

 

·        The exclusion of the “Keepmoat” estate area of North Ormesby from the Scheme (see paragraphs 76 to 82); and

·        The response from the National Residential Landlords Association (see paragraph 83).

 

OPTIONS

 

Other potential decisions were presented and rejected at the Executive meeting on 1 September.

 

Re-designate an amended area within the area of North Ormesby for Selective Licensing and request approval for consultation.

 

That was not recommended as the current area was considered to cover the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112