It appears that Enfield Council have thrown in the towel when it comes to their fight to introduce a mandatory landlord licensing scheme.
Earlier in the year, Enifield Council's landlord mandatory licensing scheme plans were knocked due to a technicality in their consultation process.
The council had initially sought to fight for a scheme, but following recent Government's changes to the approval of licensing schemes Enfield Councillors have decided take a breather to re-consider their tactics
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The Enfield Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Housing Regeneration, Cllr Ahmet Oykener, announced:
“We have been granted permission by the Court to appeal the decision on the landlord licensing scheme in Court but the Government has, since we began this process, changed the law on licensing.
“As a result, even though our advice is that we have a good prospect of success in the Courts, we will be faced with difficulty in implementing the present selective licensing scheme because of changes in the law relating to the conditions and general approval for introducing selective licensing.
“In effect the goalposts have moved. We also want to revisit the case for additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
“We will do the best to protect our residents and this means approaching the new Government regulations with an open mind.
“However I remain extremely concerned about increasing areas of privately rented properties in the borough which may not be of adequate standards, and in the light of the new regulations will look closely at means of dealing with areas experiencing for example poor property conditions, or high levels of crime.
“My duty is to ensure good quality properties, respect for the neighbourhoods, while maintaining a good relationship with responsible landlords. I am therefore asking officers to prepare a report for Cabinet on how we can best improve the quality of the private rented sector in Enfield.”
“As a result, even though our advice is that we have a good prospect of success in the Courts, we will be faced with difficulty in implementing the present selective licensing scheme because of changes in the law relating to the conditions and general approval for introducing selective licensing.
“In effect the goalposts have moved. We also want to revisit the case for additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
“We will do the best to protect our residents and this means approaching the new Government regulations with an open mind.
“However I remain extremely concerned about increasing areas of privately rented properties in the borough which may not be of adequate standards, and in the light of the new regulations will look closely at means of dealing with areas experiencing for example poor property conditions, or high levels of crime.
“My duty is to ensure good quality properties, respect for the neighbourhoods, while maintaining a good relationship with responsible landlords. I am therefore asking officers to prepare a report for Cabinet on how we can best improve the quality of the private rented sector in Enfield.”
Now Enfield knows what it is like when Government move the goalposts. Landlords have known the goalpost effect for several years.
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