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Appendix 9 Selective Licensing Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Anti-Social Behaviour | Behaviour by a person or people which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to others who are not part of the same household. |
| Category 1 Hazards | These hazards pose a serious and immediate risk to tenant safety. If a local authority discovers such a hazard, they have a legal duty to act. Examples include severe mould/damp and structural issues such as collapsing roofs. This is the most severe category of hazard. |
| Category 2 Hazards | Category 2 hazards are less severe than Category 1, however they still pose a potential risk to tenants and, if left unaddressed, could develop into more serious hazards. Examples include lesser mould/damp, insufficient lighting, and minor electrical faults. Unlike category 1, identification of these hazards does not create a legal obligation. |
| Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) | These warnings are issued to a person or business to cease their antisocial behaviour before formal sanctions are pursued. |
| Decent Homes Standard | A technical standard introduced by the UK government that aims to provide a minimum standard for public sector housing. A ‘decent home’ must meet legal standards, be in a decent state of repair, have modern facilities and services, and be weatherproof. |
| Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) | ECO4 began 27th July 2022 and will run until 31st March 2026. It aims to improve the least energy efficient properties and targets homes with an energy rating between D and G. The scheme provides grants to fund energy-efficient upgrades to homes reducing emissions, electricity and energy bills. |
| Energy efficiency | Energy efficiency relates to the concept of efficient energy use, which means using less energy to provide a given amount of heating or lighting. During an Energy Performance Certificate assessment, an energy efficiency score (SAP score) is calculated based on the performance of the building and its fixed services (such as heating and lighting). The higher the score, the more energy efficient the home. |
| Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) | EPCs inform how energy efficient a building is, using a rating system from A (Very Efficient) to G (Inefficient). |
| Fuel poverty | Fuel poverty or being fuel poor is where a household is living in a property with a fuel poverty energy efficiency rating of band D or below that cannot be kept warm at reasonable cost
without bringing their residual income below the poverty threshold. |
| Green Homes Grant (GHG) | A subsidy for energy-saving home improvements. Under the scheme, homeowners and residential landlords in England will be able to apply for vouchers covering up to two-thirds of energy saving home improvements, up to a total of £5,000. |
| House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) | A rented property where 3 or more people from different households share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. |
| Housing Act 2004 | This act introduced mandatory HMO licensing, additional and selective licensing, and the tenancy deposit protection scheme. The act is used by local authorities to regulate housing conditions and enforcement. |
| Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) | The HHSRS is a risk-based assessment tool which is used by environmental health officers to assess the risk (the likelihood and severity) of a hazard in residential housing to the health and safety of occupants or visitors. Identified hazards are divided into category one (more severe) and category two. The system allows local authorities to take action to remedy these hazards to ensure housing is safe to live in. |
| Housing Improvement Notices | Improvement notices are served when local authorities believe housing poses a risk to occupants or visitors. An improvement notice requires the person on whom it is served to carry out necessary work that will remove or reduce the hazard. |
| Index of Multiple Deprivation | The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is the official measure of relative deprivation for small areas in England. It is based on the Indices of Deprivation (IoD), which are datasets that classify the poverty level of small areas using multiple components of deprivation. The IMD is calculated for Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs), which are small geographic units with an average population of 1,500. |
| Landlord | Anyone who rents out a property they own under a lease or a licence that is shorter than seven years. |
| Landlord Accreditation | A voluntary process through which landlords can be recognised for their professional standards. Forums may be held with accredited landlords to discuss issues affecting particular areas. Involves being a member of an organisation/scheme that may require CPD. |
| Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) | These standards set a minimum energy efficiency level for private rented properties; below standard properties may not be allowed to be let. They also give residential tenants the right to make energy efficiency improvements to their property, despite the restrictions in their lease. |
| National Space Standards | A planning regulation setting out the required internal space for new dwellings. |
| Neighbourhood Action Team (NAT) | Community meetings that are held in each of the 19 electoral wards within North Lincolnshire. They allow people living in that community to influence, prioritise and resolve issues relating to community safety and the environment. |
| Occupancy rating | A designation given to a structure based on the number of individuals that the structure’s application would typically require or dictate. In general, the more people a building needs to protect, the stronger the building is required to be. |
| Selective licensing | A landlord licensing scheme introduced within the Housing Act 2004. It gives local authorities the power to introduce licensing for all privately rented properties in a given area. The scheme was introduced in England in 2006 to reduce the number of anti-social tenants and to tackle rogue landlords in areas that were being neglected. |
| Tenant | An individual who has paid for the right to occupy a property owned by another party. |
| Vulnerability | Individuals with a priority need for safe accommodation due to factors such as old age, mental or physical health needs or other reasons. |