Appendix 7 Monitoring and Enforcement

Monitoring

It is proposed that the following indicators are measured and reported on a quarterly basis:

1. Number of properties licensed in each designated area.

2. Number of properties compliant on first visit.

3. Number of properties compliant overall.

4. Number of properties where informal action has been taken to improve properties.

5. Number of properties where Improvement Notices have been served.

6. Number of hazards removed from properties.

7. Number of successful prosecutions.

8. Number of Civil Penalty notices issued and the number of Civil Penalty Fines Paid

In addition, the following indicators will also be monitored to gauge the wider impact of any designation in improving housing conditions and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour:

9. Number of housing standards complaints

10. Number of crimes.

11. Number of anti-social behaviour incidents.

12. Number of fly tipping and environmental incidents

Impact and evaluation

Annually we will quality check the change and impact it is having for the residents, landlords and wider community. This will be done through listening to residents’ voice, community conversations and surveys. Evaluation of this feedback will enable us to understand the impact of the scheme for people and place and reconsider / adapt as necessary.

Enforcement

All key enforcement actions will follow the government guidance and the Council enforcement policies as appropriate.

Enforcement specific to selective licensing includes:

• Where a breach of license conditions is identified, for example misleading information on a licensing application form, the license holder may be prosecuted with a fine of up to £5,000 per breach.
• Failing to apply for a license, when a property is being let, could lead to prosecution and an unlimited fine. (Previously the limit was £20,000 but this upper limit has been lifted).
• In addition to the above fines, local authorities and tenants can claim back up to 12 months benefits/rents paid during the period a property has not been licensed. Ultimately, landlords who continuously fail to license a property can have control of their property temporarily taken away from them through a Management Order.

During the course of the designation, the Housing Standards Team will be carrying out a programme of pro-active inspections and will take a firm approach where un-licensed properties or breaches of conditions are found, meaning that landlords in these circumstances are likely to be prosecuted or face a civil penalty. These enforcement activities will not be met from the revenue from fees and will be funded through Council Housing Standards Team.