Crystal Horwood Blog

Tuesday 20th December 2011

We hear much about anti-social behaviour in the press, but rather less about what should be done to deal with it.

One method we are increasingly seeing around the country is the use of Selective Licensing by local authorities, a power granted under the 2004 Housing Act.

As a landlord and agent in Southend, Essex, I am waiting with interest to hear the outcome of the local council’s consultation on Selective Licensing. It has been proposed for certain parts of the borough, the results of which are due in January.

Selective Licensing, according to Southend Council – and other local authorities around the country who have already gone down, or are thinking of going down this route, including Gateshead, Manchester, Leeds and Newham – is the way to deal with anti-social behaviour.

We are told it is also intended to improve the management of private rental properties by giving the council extra powers to make private landlords evict problem tenants.

But how? Forcing the eviction of tenants is hardly improving the situation. What it does is to move these people on to another area where they become someone else’s problem.

There are adequate powers already in place to deal with poorly managed properties, such as enforcement notices and management orders.

I agree with the National Landlords Association when it states on its website: “Such measures represent a targeted approach to specific issues, rather than a blanket licensing scheme that would adversely affect the professional landlords, whilst still leaving the rogues able to operate under the radar.”

As an experienced and reputable landlord and letting agent, I take offence at the way Selective Licensing tars all in this industry with the same brush. My company makes an effort to go the extra mile for our tenants and clients, offering a service we believe is the best it can be. By including all landlords in its remit, Selective Licensing lumps us all together – good and bad alike.

On a practical level, the cost implications for landlords are heavy – around £600 per licence application – which in times of economic hardship is yet one more burden that, for some, could prove unsustainable.

If the real objective in Southend and other areas nationally is to improve poor-quality housing, then councils should come clean and say so; they should target those landlords at fault, rather than good landlords who are already fighting an uphill battle to find good tenants.

According to our borough council’s website: “Licensing should encourage good practice amongst landlords and managing agents and ensure that only tenants with suitable references move into these areas.

It is anticipated that this would encourage tenants to improve their behaviour, and in the long-term improve the overall image and public perception of these areas. Additional benefits would include reduced turnover of tenants, a more settled community for all residents and the increasing of the value and demand for property in these areas.”

I, for one, fail to see how Selective Licensing will achieve all of that. It is not a panacea that will magically whisk away issues such as anti-social behaviour.

What is needed is a back-to-basics approach, realising and acting on the root causes of such behaviour – unemployment, lack of training, lack of focus, lack of a future for many people. This in turn raises a whole host of other questions around what government should be doing at all levels to address these crucial problems.

We have raised an e-petition on the government’s website to draw attention to the issue and will hopefully have the matter debated in the House of Commons. Show your support by signing up at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/17083.

We have also launched a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Selective-Licensing/251621501566239?ref=ts&sk=app_201143516562748. ‘Like’ us and show your support.

Crystal Horwood is managing director of Southend-based PACE Property Specialists