Oxford Metropolis Council is hailing its UK-first whole-city selective licensing scheme a possible success after it acquired greater than 10,000 early purposes – 1000’s greater than anticipated.
The one scheme within the UK overlaying all privately rented properties launched on 1st September, providing an early fowl discounted charge of £400 till 30th November for a five-year licence.
Landlords and brokers made 5,893 purposes in the course of the first three months whereas town’s largest letting brokers additionally submitted particulars of an extra 4,200 properties. This added as much as way over the 7,500 purposes the council had hoped for.
£1,100 payment
A typical payment of £480 has now kicked in and the next charge payment of £1,100 will apply from 1st September except a house is newly rented inside 12 weeks of the date of utility. The council will start in search of unlicensed properties from 1st January.
Oxford was the primary council in England to introduce a citywide scheme that required each HMO to be licensed again in 2011.
In April it acquired Secretary of State approval for its controversial new scheme which covers half (49.3%) of all Oxford’s properties.
The NRLA voiced its opposition in the course of the authority’s session, arguing that HMO licensing had led to rents rising, and to these on decrease incomes within the metropolis being pushed out of it, because the council seeks to rehouse folks in Birmingham and elsewhere.
Councillor Linda Smith, (pictured) cupboard member for housing, says: “We’re coping with greater than 10,000 licence purposes and that’s nice information for tenants and the vast majority of accountable landlords and brokers.
“If you happen to’re a landlord or agent who hasn’t utilized but you’ve missed the early fowl however don’t miss the boat. Everybody ought to have a good house and your tenants deserve the boldness of figuring out that theirs is protected, in good situation and properly managed.”
Apply for a licence.