Two amendments on licensing from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health have been tabled for discussion in the Commons by a Green Party MP.

They have been tabled for the report stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill by Green co-leader Carla Denyer.

CIEH says these amendments would remove unnecessary barriers to the use of licensing schemes to improve housing standards.

The first amendment would enable local authorities operating selective licensing schemes to use licence conditions to improve housing conditions.

CIEH has highlighted a “peculiar disconnect” in current legislation whereby local authorities can introduce selective licensing schemes to address poor housing conditions but cannot include in the licence itself conditions requiring the physical state of the licensed property to be improved.

The second amendment would increase the maximum duration of discretionary licensing schemes, which include selective licensing schemes and additional licensing schemes for houses in multiple occupation with less than five occupiers, from five to 10 years. 

CIEH argues that this would allow local authorities to advertise longer term posts and to include training of new staff in these schemes.

Mark Elliott, president of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, says: “Licensing provides a means for local authorities to inspect privately rented housing using enforceable conditions – and to identify and resolve problems – without the need for tenants to have complained.

“We hope the government will grasp the opportunity presented by this Bill to make it easier for local authorities to use licensing schemes to improve housing standards.

“We will continue to make the voice of environmental health professionals heard on these and other issues during the passage of the Bill through parliament.”