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Monday, April 07, 2014

Sandwell landlord licensing scheme consulation

Sandwell Council have started running a ten week consulation over plans for the introduction of landlord licensing in certain areas of West Bromwich. The consulation period ends May 12.

The proposed licensing scheme will apply to all private residential landlords within the area. Each rental property will require a separate licence. Licence costs will be charged as a one off fee to a landlord and might be as high as £500 per rental property.

Landlords would also be subject to a series of tests before a licence is granted, moving forward, and certain grounds would need to met to avoid fines of up to £5000. One proposed ground that landlords might be expected to meet is making sure bins are taken in from the pavement after refuse collection.

Leave your thoughts and read more on the Sandwell landlord licensing scheme proposals

It appears a tenants actions are increasingly becoming the responsibilty of their landlords. Where tenants don't have the money to pay fines, councils are clearly turning to a more lucrative source.

It begs the question, when did certain parts of society stop being responsible for their own behaviour?


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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sandwell is full of absent landlords, many who ignore their responsibilities and legal obligations.

This has been muted for some time, as Sandwell council is broke, they squandered the taxpayers money on grandiose schemes and other nonsense.Licensing landlords will do two things, they can charge for the licenses, bolstering their coffers, and they can keep an eye on those landlords who refuse to honour their responsibilities.

Living in Birmingham, I believe my council will be next, for what one council does in the West Midlands, others soon jump on the bandwagon.

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with the previous comment, the place is full of absent landlords, who don't care, don't mend and leave their property in a terrible state, as long as the money keeps pouring in. Some families have over 100 properties, bought cheap, spent a bit of cash on it, then let it to all and sundry, including illegals.

I also live in Birmingham, and I expect the same very soon, as our council has also squandered on self serving major projects that the taxpayers do not want or need, but bolsters the esteem of the councillor who thought it up, plus having to pay millions compensation for not paying a level wage between men and women council workers.