Licensing scheme bags £5m in ‘lost’ council tax from buy to let sector

Licensing scheme bags £5m in ‘lost’ council tax from buy to let sector


Todays other news


Since one London local authority introduced private rental sector licensing in 2013 an extra £5,002,203 in council tax has been collected from landlords renting out HMOs.

Newham’s licensing originally began five years ago but was forced, by government, to re-launch from scratch in March this year; since its restart it has processed and issued over 30,000 new licences.

In the same period the team council has taken action against landlords in 120 cases where serious and dangerous disrepair was discovered or landlords were breaking the law.

However, a statement from the council suggests it is most proud of having recovered over £5m in ‘lost’ council tax.

“This five million pounds, which would have been lost to the council, and therefore the tax payer, has been recouped by the private rented sector team, and will help us fund the crucial services that our residents rely on, from elderly care, to supporting our young people” says a council spokesman.

“I would urge any landlords to engage with our team especially if they are unclear about the new regulations. We genuinely want to work with landlords to create a fair rental market for them, and for all our residents. Together we can work to drive the rogues out of the market and improve the lives of tenants” he continues.

Share this article ...

Join the conversation: Login and have your say

Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions. All comments are screened using specialist software and may be reviewed by our editorial team before publication. Letting Agent Today reserves the right to edit, withhold or delete comments that violate our guidelines, including those that harass, degrade, or intimidate others. Users who post such content may be banned from commenting.
By commenting, you agree to our Commenting Terms of Use.
Recommended for you
Related Articles
Lomond has acquired one of the North West's longest-standing lettings...
Demand is roughly static but instructions from landlords are falling...
There are 48 units in this grade II listed block...
The move bolsters the group's presence in key regions of...
The Welsh Government is backing the call for a 'compensation'...
There will be a greater emphasis on digitisation....
A consultation document is being released today....
Recommended for you
Latest Features
Andrews Property Group is under charitable ownership...
New tenancies in England and Wales are at their lowest...
The Scottish system would differ from the UK system in...
Sponsored Content
Tenants want a place they can call home—somewhere comfortable, safe,...
Letting agencies face the dual challenge of keeping both landlords...

Send to a friend

In order to send this article to a friend you must first login. Click on the button below to login or sign up.

No one likes pop-ups ...
But while you're here