Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

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Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

Postby dutchman » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:07 am

Coventry City Council could introduce two new schemes to charge landlords more and ensure they treat tenants fairly

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Leading councillors claim new licensing would boost the standard of privately rented housing in the city.

And it would combat anti-social behaviour and address inequality in areas of high crime and deprivation, they say.

It could also raise millions of pounds for council coffers.

The council will consult the public on introducing a selective licensing scheme and additional licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) for private landlords.

A 10-week consultation is now underway to enable tenants, landlords and other stakeholders and community groups to have an input.

The council has outlined 37 areas – and almost 9,000 homes – which would benefit from a Selective Licensing scheme.

It would mean that all landlords must apply for a licence if they want to rent out a property.

The council would then assess the quality of the residence and its fitness for human habitation.

It could also use tighter controls on management, health and safety issues.

Under proposals a selective licence will cost around £380 for five years, which equates to £6 per month or £76 per year.

The 37 areas identified by the council are locations which have more than 20 per cent of houses that are privately rented – often much more.

The council also claims Additional Licensing of HMOs is required across the whole city, to boost standards in multi-occupancy properties.

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Re: Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

Postby dutchman » Fri Jan 17, 2020 3:59 pm

New charges for houses in multiple occupation in Coventry - what it means

Action to tackle irresponsible landlords has half-succeeded at Coventry council after one of two schemes was passed by councillors.

A city-wide ‘additional licensing’ scheme was approved at full council on Tuesday, January 14, but ward-specific ‘selective licensing’ came to a halt after it was voted down to allow for further investigations.

The new additional licensing policy will focus on houses in multiple occupation (HMO).

The scheme is likely to impact a number of student homes, which the council hopes to reduce through the introduction of more purpose-built student blocks.

Under additional licensing, a landlord who has been operating an unlicensed HMO could pay £1,250 for a one-year licence; £1,055 could be charged for a one-year licence if they are not listed as part of the council’s ‘proactive enforcement regime’; £705 for a two-year licence; £640 for a five-year licence; and £545 for a renewal.

Around a dozen councillors were forced to leave the meeting and not take part in the vote as they are landlords themselves.

Additional licensing requires all owners of HMOs that are occupied by three or four tenants and all converted self-contained flats that are wholly tenanted to apply to the council for a HMO licence.

Additional licensing will come into force on May 4 for a period of five years.

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Re: Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

Postby dutchman » Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:01 pm

Coventry tenants facing homelessness after landlord cites new council policy

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Tenants have been left distraught after being told they are to be kicked out of their homes and made homeless due to new legislation affecting Coventry landlords.

Megan Whitehouse, partner Edward Woodrough, 26, and friend 22-year-old Bradley Baker were told on Tuesday that they must leave their Walsgrave home by August 1.

Lettings agency Red Brick has said they will be served a section 21 6A notice on May 1, which requires possession of the property to the landlord within three months.

Ms Whitehouse said she has been told the decision has been made in response to legislation on houses in multiple occupation due to come into force in Coventry on May 4.

Coventry City Council’s new Additional Licensing scheme will require owners of all homes occupied by three or four persons from two or more households to stump up between £640 for a five-year licence for a compliant landlord, or £1,250 for non-compliant landlords.

Ms Whitehouse said she has been told her landlord faces fees of more than £1,000 which he is unable to pay, and has therefore taken the decision to remove them from the house.

But she has hit out at the council and called on them to suspend the policy – a plea the city council has rejected.

However the authority has also come under attack from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) which believes the move goes against government guidelines advising the introduction of new, non-mandatory licensing schemes are paused.

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Re: Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

Postby dutchman » Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:04 pm

Rogue landlord ordered to repay £11k rent after landmark tribunal

A Coventry landlord has been ordered to give back almost £11,000 rent that was wrongly paid by tenants.

A tribunal ruled she charged the cash while she was operating without a licence in breach of Housing Act rules which came into force in 2018.

The Rent Repayment Order is the first of its kind to be imposed against a landlord in Coventry in a landmark ruling.

A council investigation found Mrs Parvinjot Nagra failed to licence the property in Cannon Park for a period of eight months and failed in her management of the property.

According to a tribunal, Mrs Nagra, who also uses the name Parveen, took rent while the property was unlicensed between October 2018 and June 2019.

Under amendments to the Housing Act 2004, introduced in October 2018, all landlords with a property of two storeys or more containing five or more separate tenants are expected to hold a HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) Licence.

Mrs Nagra has now been ordered to repay rent totalling around £10,982.25 that seven tenants applied for as part of a Rent Repayment Order.

The case is the first of its kind in Coventry and council bosses say it fires a “stark warning” to rogue landlords operating without a license.

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Re: Council to introduce scheme to boost standard of privately rented housing

Postby dutchman » Thu Jun 04, 2020 8:06 pm

I don't see why the tenants should get a refund? She may not have been licensed but they have still enjoyed seven months accommodation. The impression I get is that they simply didn't want to pay the rent and have used this technicality as an excuse to not pay it. :roll:
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