The private rented sector plays a vital role in the Newcastle housing market. It has seen significant growth with the estimated number of private rented properties rising from 14,400 in 2001, to now over 24,000 properties. Many of the properties are over 70 years old and it is vital that this housing stock is maintained to a good standard.
With decreasing resources, there are many challenges faced in the private rented sector including anti-social behaviour (ASB) and area decline caused by neglect and poor environmental conditions. There is a significant cost to the Council in managing these issues and they are causing a decline in the environment, impacting community wellbeing and making these areas unattractive places to live, work and invest.
The introduction of a large-scale property licensing scheme will help provide tenants with a greater choice of safe, good quality and well managed accommodation. Improving the quality of private rented accommodation will lead to a better community and cross tenure relations, reduce anti-social behaviour and help to stabilise and improve local neighbourhoods.
The proposed licensing scheme will use a combination of both Selective and Additional Licensing which will last 5 years, and a property licence will help to ensure that:
Additional Licensing - Would apply citywide for private rented properties that are occupied by 3 or more, from 2 or more households, i.e. shared household. (estimated 9,350 properties).
Selective Licensing - Would apply to all private rented properties within the proposed boundary covering areas of the city with higher levels of private rented (estimated 9,100 properties).
The proposed licence fee will cost £650 for Selective and £750 for Additional, and professional landlords who apply for a licence and comply with the law will be issued a 5-year licence. Landlords who fail to apply or have a history of non-compliance will be issued a 1-year licence. This will ensure that criminal landlords are more closely regulated and pay more.
Please tell us how you feel about our current proposals by completing the questions below.
Local residents - Comment on the scheme
The private rented sector plays a vital role in the Newcastle housing market. It has seen significant growth with the estimated number of private rented properties rising from 14,400 in 2001, to now over 24,000 properties. Many of the properties are over 70 years old and it is vital that this housing stock is maintained to a good standard.
With decreasing resources, there are many challenges faced in the private rented sector including anti-social behaviour (ASB) and area decline caused by neglect and poor environmental conditions. There is a significant cost to the Council in managing these issues and they are causing a decline in the environment, impacting community wellbeing and making these areas unattractive places to live, work and invest.
The introduction of a large-scale property licensing scheme will help provide tenants with a greater choice of safe, good quality and well managed accommodation. Improving the quality of private rented accommodation will lead to a better community and cross tenure relations, reduce anti-social behaviour and help to stabilise and improve local neighbourhoods.
The proposed licensing scheme will use a combination of both Selective and Additional Licensing which will last 5 years, and a property licence will help to ensure that:
Additional Licensing - Would apply citywide for private rented properties that are occupied by 3 or more, from 2 or more households, i.e. shared household. (estimated 9,350 properties).
Selective Licensing - Would apply to all private rented properties within the proposed boundary covering areas of the city with higher levels of private rented (estimated 9,100 properties).
The proposed licence fee will cost £650 for Selective and £750 for Additional, and professional landlords who apply for a licence and comply with the law will be issued a 5-year licence. Landlords who fail to apply or have a history of non-compliance will be issued a 1-year licence. This will ensure that criminal landlords are more closely regulated and pay more.
Please tell us how you feel about our current proposals by completing the questions below.