A scheme designed to improve housing standards and protect Scunthorpe communities from rogue landlords and anti-social tenants has been proposed.
The Selective Licensing scheme – being consulted on now – would mean landlords in certain parts of Scunthorpe would have to be licensed, requiring them to maintain high standards to keep their tenants safe, warm and secure.
It would also require them to ensure their tenants maintain the same high standards.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “It is not fair that homeowners who have lived in communities for generations that keep their homes and gardens clean and tidy must suffer because of a small number of landlords and tenants.
“This scheme will enable us to put in place extra enforcement officers who will go around and hold landlords – and their tenants – who clearly do not care, to account.”
The scheme is designed to improve housing conditions, reduce anti-social behaviour and ultimately, improve the health and wellbeing of the communities. The council would also be further empowered to target the criminal landlords.
Residents from across North Lincolnshire can now take part in the consultation – further details are available here.
Cllr Richard Hannigan, deputy leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “We are focussed on enabling resilient communities and keeping residents safe and well.
“The vast majority of local landlords are providing safe, decent homes but we know there are small number of people who do not maintain the standards expected.
“We believe selective licensing will enable us to target the areas where there is poor quality and badly-managed accommodation.
“It will help us address anti-social behaviour and raise standards by forcing rogue landlords and bad tenants to be responsible.
“We have not wanted to go down this route and where landlords are already operating responsibility there will be less impact but we do think this will enable us to protect residents and enhance the community as a whole.
“We also want to make sure that everyone who has a stake in this has had their say so we have launched this consultation to capture everyone’s views.”
The areas proposed for the scheme cover part of the Crosby & Park, Town and Frodingham wards, a total of 1,505 private sector rented properties.
The licence conditions cover such things as overcrowding, heating and making the property safe. It ensures homes have essential safety measures installed such as alarms and emergency lighting.
Landlords would also have to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour and management of waste at a property and the council would be able to ask for evidence they are suitable to hold a licence.
Anyone in North Lincolnshire can make their views known on the Selective Licensing proposals – you don’t need to be a tenant or landlord or live in the designated areas.
More information on the proposal is available on our website here.
Go to our consultation page here to fill in the survey.
