Town Hall asks public for feedback on landlord licensing plans

Hackney Town Hall. Photograph: Josef Steen / free for use by LDRS partners

Hackney Council is consulting on plans that would require private landlords to obtain a five-year licence for each property they want to let out.

After committing to the scheme three years ago, earlier this month the Town Hall launched its public engagement, saying it would “raise standards and protect renters from rogue landlords”.

Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley said: “We know most landlords do the right thing, but some of the conditions private tenants face are unacceptable and potentially dangerous.

“That is why we take strong enforcement action where we can, and why we’re proposing to introduce this new licensing scheme, which would allow us to regulate the majority of private rented homes in the borough and build a network of responsible landlords,” she said.

“These proposals need to work for both landlords and tenants so we’d urge them to have their say in the consultation.”

Under the plans, fees could be set for up to £925 for a single home and £1,400 for a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

Licensing would apply to “most” private landlords in the vast majority of wards, chosen based on the number of private rentals and the scale of poor housing conditions.

The local authority would monitor and inspect landlord’s properties, holding them accountable for substandard conditions, including imposing “unlimited” fines.

A recent independent review of the borough’s private rented sector found Hackney was higher than the national average for the proportion of private rentals with serious hazards.

The consultation will run until 21 September, with a final decision due later this year.

In April, Mayor Woodley commended the policy, which she said had taken “persistence and patience”.

The launch comes weeks after the social housing ombudsman judged Hackney Council to be an “outlier” as a landlord in terms of disrepairs and maintenance failures.

In light of this, the Citizen asked the mayor if she would hold the council to the same standards as private landlords.

The Citizen also asked if she accepted the argument that the Town Hall’s ability to guide and support landlords was compromised by the various shortcomings the watchdog identified across the council’s housing stock.

Mayor Woodley said: “Hackney Council is ambitious about improving housing standards across the borough.

“This means working as part of a network of responsible landlords, meeting with housing associations, consulting on selective licensing in the private rented sector, and ensuring a robust plan is in place to manage council homes.

“As a social landlord, the council is governed by the Regulator for Social Housing, who holds the council to a set of nationally set consumer standards.

“I am firmly committed to ensuring the council holds itself to the same high standards that we would expect other landlords to work to.

“We have acknowledged the historic housing issues and, as highlighted by both the Regulator and the Ombudsman, there is a clear plan in place to ensure the council delivers quality repairs effectively and in a timely manner.”