Landlord letter (From The Argus)

Landlord letter

9:18am Monday 13th February 2012 in Your Argus

I read with concern a letter in The Argus from Dan Wilson, in which he commends the licensing of small shared houses (February 3).

The only reason for discretionary licences is for antisocial behaviour by tenants which is not being controlled by landlords, and this can only run for a maximum period of five years.

The council must produce evidence there is significant antisocial behaviour in the areas it is consulting about, and have a strategy to deal with such behaviour.

The local authority is currently working with the universities of Brighton and Sussex as well as landlords’ associations. The vast majority of landlords already ensure reasonable behaviour of their tenants within the law. Why should they have to pay a fee, coupled with the administrative costs, for absolutely no benefit?

Dan Wilson alleges that licensing will force landlords to provide fire precautions, maintain their properties and raise money for the council.

The cost of licensing can only be used to administer the scheme. The council has a duty under the 2004 Housing Act to inspect properties. Licensing has nothing to do with property condition.

Most private landlords do not charge fees when letting property and charge reasonable rents, often not making increases during the length of a tenancy.

What Dan Wilson also needs to understand is that if a landlord has to pay “a licence fee” then quite sensibly the charge will reflect in the rent charged.

Landlords are urged to respond to the consultation and oppose licensing of small shared properties. The reason for doing so should be that the council is already doing a very good job – further regulation is unnecessary.

Mike Stimpson, Southern Landlords’ Association