Hi all,
Many towns and cities in Lancashire are bringing in Selective Licensing rules for landlords. The cost in Blackpool to a landlord is 772 per property + a further 95 for every other dwelling in the property and they want us to pay every 5 years for the privilege !
I am very much against this, especially when we have further regulation re: the Renters Rights Bill on the horizon. If like me your tenants are predominantly Universal Credit you will know that it is almost impossible to raise the rent. So although tradesmen can increase their hourly rates and governments and councils can increase their regulation we cannot increase our rent and personally I haven’t done so in any great quantity for over a decade!
I believe the only way councils will listen is if we come together, even if it is only via the internet.
I also think we stand a better chance now, especially in Lancashire since ReformUK won the By-Election as they have said they are against this licensing. My properties are in Blackpool but Burnley, Pendle, Blackburn, Darwen, Lancaster, Colne and Hollins Bank are also going to be affected.
So if you are a landlord who is going to be impacted by this especially in the Lancashire area please send me a private message or respond to this post.
Hopefully we will turn this thing around and get it revoked. Remember we are stronger together.
the best way is to sell up to an owner occupier and not to another landlord . I have just done that. It will eventually limit rentals and councils will be stitched up (but it might take 25 years)
I haven’t got that long lol
We had the same problem in our area several years ago
However the n r l a fought the local authority on our behalf as they were to introduce selective licensing across 75% of the city in one go
We won and they stopped it going forward
With this government you may lose as they have passed directive to local authority not government
Speak to n r l a and see what they say
Get a petition going
Selective Licensing has been around since the 2004 housing act and Councils across the country have gradually introduced it to boost their revenue. The Goverment has just reiterated their commitment to keeping it, so Id suggest you pick a different battle.
Be thankful your properties are not in Leicester. Their SL is ÂŁ1,290.
I am not that type of person. An injustice is an injustice and needs to be fought.
Thanks for your message of encouragement I will look into contacting them.
As with any business you have to know when to get out
That’s so disheartening but I suppose it’s the certainty of life. …. Change
we have to adapt, alter our view, our employment ,whatever it takes, altering it in our head is harder.
You have more experience in business than I so Ill take your wisdom
Thank you
I’ve just sent out a Form 4 to both of my tenants. I’m bringing their rents up to nearer market value (they’re both several hundred PCM below average) in order to protect myself and my investment going forward. I’ve spoken to both of my tenants and suggested they write to their MP and ask how the new rules are helping them.
Historically I’ve tried to keep their rents low, but I’ll be increasing annually by the highest amount I can once the RRB becomes law (my understanding is that it isn’t going to happen this side of the summer recess).
It’s also highly likely I’ll be evicting both tenants and selling up sooner than originally planned.
Do the government think they’d both feel much happier and more secure in their future if I informed them of that?
There is no one more aware of change than I. I have changed industry several times in my career, other than being a landlord but an injustice should be fought whenever it is affordable to do so, otherwise what sort of country would we be living in?
It seems it is those that shout the loudest get the biggest slice of the pie.
Under this government we have no chance.
There was an article yesterday documenting that Angela is very in with the King and Prince William and their building new homes and homelessness charter but Keir is not
Reading the news today it has been alleged Whitehall knew all about the grooming gangs and this government don’t want an enquiry. Keir was head of CPS…
The only thing MPs are good at is hypocrisy and cover ups
Maybe we have a better chance with the next government. I think the problem RRB is generating for landlords will not be resolved in my lifetime. God knows, the n r l a is still trying. At least the House of Lords delayed the introduction from spring till hopefully autumn. I think that it’s the best we can hope for ( I got to serve notice just in the nick of time)
I discovered completley by accident that Stockton council introduced SL last year. When I wrote to them about it, they took ages to reply and said that even though I should have applied last year, it was fine to do it now without penalty. In March, I duly filled in their online forms for the one of two properties affected (they told me not to start the second application until the first has been completed) and I’ve heard absolutely diddly squat since then. Honestly, they’re utterly useless.
I’ve raised rents on the two properties affected to counter the charges that I assume will come my way when they can get their act together.
Now I’m just wondering how long I should leave it before chasing it up on their behalf. I’ve got an email saying they will “be in touch soon”. 
I waited 15 months on one of my applications , so just sit tight, have you paid the first part of the landlord tax? Mine was in two parts.
Once you pay, you are covered, so just sut back and wait. Mine took a year to come through.
Haven’t paid a thing. There was nowhere on the form to pay anything.
The Tories were in the process of something very similar when they got voted out.
Not quite that for me. Having been away, I came back to an email granting the license on the 19th of June.