Licensing: Respond to current consultations in your area
The NRLA is urging landlords to make their views heard on plans to introduce licensing schemes in a number of towns and cities across the country.
Several local authorities are currently consulting on licensing plans. The NRLA aims to respond to all local authority licensing consultations, and is urging members to respond to consultations that affect them.
The association recently developed a licensing toolkit exclusive for members to learn more about the different types of licensing, and advice on how to respond directly to consultations.
To see the list of current licensing consultations, which include Manchester, Lambeth and Newcastle, read below. Keep an eye out in our members bulletin next week to read more about our recent licensing consultation responses.
Local licensing consultations
Westminster: additional HMO licensing (closes 18th February)
Westminister City Council is currently consulting on proposals to introduce a borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme across Westminster. If the scheme is approved, landlords who let out HMOs (that are not currently subject to mandatory HMO licensing) would be required to obtain a licence from the council in order to let the property out lawfully. To read the consultation document and have your say on these proposals, click here.
Lambeth: borough-wide additional HMO licensing (closes 12th March)
Lambeth Council has launched a consultation on plans to introduce borough-wide additional licensing scheme. If the plans are given the go ahead, all landlords with HMOs (that are not already subject to mandatory licensing) will be required to obtain a licence from the council, in order to continue to lawfully let the property out. Landlords in Lambeth can have their say on these proposals by reading the consultation webpage on Lambeth Council's website, and responding directly to a survey on the plans.
Manchester: selective licensing (closes 14th April)
Manchester City Council has launched a consultation on extending selective licensing to parts of Clayton and Openshaw, Harpurhey and Gorton and Abbey Hey. The specific areas where the council would like to run the scheme are:
- Hyde Road: Gorton and Abbey Hey ward
- The Ladders:Gorton and Abbey Hey ward
- Ben Street: Clayton and Openshaw ward
- Trinity: Harpurhey ward
Manchester City Council is running virtual drop in events for people to find out more about the scheme. The details of these events and a link to the survey to respond directly to the consultation can be read online here.
Oldham: selective licensing (closes 19th April 2021)
The licensing of private rented properties has been happening in certain areas of Oldham since 2015, and a selective licensing scheme there and has now expired. The council is consulting on plans to introduce a new selective licensing scheme in some areas of the borough. To read more about the plans, sign up to a virtual session or have your say directly in this consultation, click here.
Article 4 direction consultations
Article 4 Directives allow local authorities to restrict permitted developments in a designated area.They are often used by councils to control the number of homes being converted into HMOs in places where there is already a high concentration of that type of accommodation.
In areas where a direction is in place, landlords need to apply for planning permission to convert a dwelling into a HMO. NRLA members can understand more about Article 4 directions and how to respond to consultations on these by using our exclusive Article 4 toolkit.
To see a list of current Article 4 consultations, read below.
Liverpool (closes 19th February)
Liverpool City Council recently launched a consultation on introducing Article 4 directions in the wards of Anfield, Central, Greenbank, Kensington and Fairfield, Picton, Princess Park, Riverside, Tuebrook and Stoneycroft and Wavertree Wards and parts of Kirkdale and Church Wards. Landlords can view a ward map to see these areas, and respond directly to the consultation on the council's website here.
Beeston (closes 26th February)
Broxtowe Borough Council is consulting on plans to introduce an Article 4 direction for HMOs in parts of Beeston and Beeston Rylands.If approved, it is proposed that the direction will come into force on 26 March 2022. More information about the areas the scheme would cover and how landlords can have their say in this consultation can be read online here.
