A landlords' body is inviting a council to a meeting this week to justify its proposal to extend a licensing scheme from HMOs to every single privately rented property - but so far the local authority has refused to say whether it will attend.
The National Landlords Association says the proposal by Croydon council in Surrey would see all landlords required to obtain a license to let out property. The NLA says the changes could increase the cost of renting by £500 to £1,000 per property, will deter investment in housing in the area and will inevitably be transferred on to tenants as higher rents.
The council's proposals will also make landlords responsible for controlling visitors to their properties as well as managing anti-social behaviour of tenants, which the NLA argues is unfair and unworkable.
The local MP, Gavin Barwell, is against the proposal. It doesn't take a genius to work out what will happen if this scheme goes ahead - landlords will simply pass the additional cost on to their tenants. It is a classic Labour stealth tax that is predicted to raise over £4.5 million for the council, lifted straight from the pockets of hardworking residents. Introducing a stealth tax, which will lead to some of the most vulnerable people in society facing even higher rents, is beneath contempt he says.
The meeting is being held at Imperial Conference Centre, Hampton by Hilton Croydon, beginning at 7pm on Thursday September 25.
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Comments
This is crazy. As an agent in an area that has introduced Additional Licencing - trying to keep up with all the new applications, and convincing Landlords that it's a legal requirement - sometimes I can't help but think about packing it all in. As an ARLA licenced agent, you'd be losing one of the good ones. I'm sure, however, the non regulated agents will thrive as they'll be the only ones out there willing to take on houses that don't have the right paperwork in place!!