Northumberland County Council is to start consulting with residents, business and landlords in Blyth’s Croft ward about introducing a selective licensing scheme that will improve living conditions and standards for tenants in the private rented sector. 

  

This week, letters and surveys are being sent out to properties across the ward and the council is urging recipients to get involved and share their views. 

 

Selective Licensing allows a council to require landlords of all private rented properties to obtain a licence and is intended to address the impact of poor-quality homes and  standards. 

 

The licensing can be introduced in an area that is experiencing significant and persistent problems caused by antisocial behaviour, poor property conditions,  high levels of deprivation, high levels of crime and low housing demand. 

There are around 1,000 properties in the Croft Ward in Blyth of which around 550 are managed by private landlords. Many of the landlords live out of the area, and while some are reputable, others are not meeting the standards required of a responsible landlord. 

 

Under the proposed scheme, all private landlords in the Croft Ward will have to apply to the council for a license for each of their rented properties.  To obtain this license they will have to demonstrate certain areas of good practice, for example, Energy Performance Certificate ratings, safe living standards and be able to demonstrate they can manage the property and any Anti-Social Behaviour issues their tenants may cause. 

 

If the scheme is implemented, support for both landlords and tenants will be provided by dedicated Selective Licensing officers within the Council’s Private Sector Housing Team. 

 

County Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member for Looking After Our Environment explains: 

 

“Creating safer communities for our residents and reducing hardship and inequality is a key priority for the council, and this proposed licensing scheme will help contribute towards this ambition. 

 

“We firmly believe that everyone living in Northumberland deserves a decent home to live in and as our private rented sector grows, selective landlord licensing in specific areas gives us a way of making sure that residents have a safe, secure and satisfactory home to live in. 
 

“We know selective licensing has been introduced successfully by other councils across the country and has been successful in improving the standard of living in these properties. 

 

“Many landlords do manage their properties to a good standard, but it is those that do not who we want to target and hold to account.” 

 

 The consultation will start 14th  August and will last 11 weeks. Letters and a survey will be sent to every home and business in the ward. Community drop in events are also being planned 

 

Once the consultation is complete, the council will apply to central Government with the survey findings. The Government will then decide on whether the authority can introduce selective licensing.