Parliament in the UK can now introduce selective licensing without seeking permission from the Secretary of State, a move a leading landlord law expert has slammed as a new policy.
However, councils will need to comply with a mandatory 10-week public consultation period before introducing the scheme. 
They will also be required to provide regular updates to the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the progress of the plan.
Increase the council treasury
However, the National Association of Residential Landlords was highly critical of the new rules, calling them “nonsensical” and potentially inconsistent with the planned landlord database under the Tenant Bill of Rights. are.
Propertymark echoed this view, arguing that the private rental sector “doesn't need a more selective license; it needs a more lenient one”.
And Mr Turtle, the landlord licensing expert, believes the new rules will not improve housing standards but will increase council coffers.
He said there would be next to no input from landlords and tenants during the mandatory consultation process. “We are currently at the starting point for councils to require all rental properties to be licensed, which will be based on 340-odd councils out of 300 different councils. ” Licensing scheme.
An out-of-control local council fundraising scheme gets the green light. ”
It added: “Breaching the conditions of a selective license is a criminal offense, punishable by an unlimited fine in court or a civil fine of up to £30,000 by the council, with the funds held in the coffers of a cash-strapped council. There is a possibility that it will be done,” he added.
As a result, he believes Parliament will use its new powers to introduce systems that increase revenue from license fees and fines, with England's selective licensing system typically costing £1,000 (£200 a year). However, it points out that a similar system in Jersey costs more. It costs just £30 a year.
“This move marks the government relinquishing any vestiges of control over local housing authorities that have gone out of control and green-lighting local councils' fundraising plans that have gone out of control.”
