Nottingham City Council has approved a new selective licensing scheme for private landlords in order to help safeguard and improve housing standards for tenants.

Selective Licensing requires all landlords to licence any privately rented property they have within a designated area.

Approved at the councils Executive Board yesterday, the scheme will allow the local authority to make sure licensed rented homes meet certain conditions, that they are safe, well managed and that the landlord is a ’fit and proper person.’

‘People renting privately have a right to expect a decent standard of accommodation,’ said Toby Neal, portfolio holder for housing and human resources.

‘The impact of poor quality and badly managed accommodation can be very negative on the tenants. The local neighbourhood also suffers because of poorly managed properties and the crime and anti-social behaviour that can follow.’

The new scheme is not a renewal of the first scheme introduced in August 2018. This is because each licensing scheme can run for up to five years, then evidence needs to be gathered and presented again to confirm whether another scheme meets one or more of the conditions of the Housing Act 2004 and government guidance.

‘Selective Licensing works to tackle poor housing conditions and poor management and to drive up standards in the private rented sector,’ said Cllr Neal.

‘The first Scheme has helped improve property conditions, management standards and helped to make homes safer through the removal of dangerous hazards such as electrical and gas safety, damp and mould, as well as slip, trip and fall hazards.

‘We believe that there is more work needed to support landlords to comply with their responsibilities and it is important that standards are maintained and continue to improve where needed.’