Leeds Council plans to extend selective licensing across more of the city when the current scheme ends next year.

It has operated in much of Beeston and Harehills since 2020 and now plans to widen the area to parts of the Armley, Beeston & Holbeck, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill, Gipton & Harehills and Hunslet & Riverside council wards.

However, landlords face a big price hike under the new scheme which will cost £1,100 for a five-year licence – going up to a hefty £1,225 if completed on paper - compared with the current £825 fee.

The authority reports that it has seen positive results under the scheme, in areas which have higher levels of deprivation than the city as a whole and an above-average concentration of private rented housing. It’s resulted in landlords having to carry out improvement work on more than 1,500 homes where issues were identified during 4,500 inspections.

Challenges

It says these visits have also given council officers increased opportunities to identify situations where tenants are facing non-housing related problems, with more than 1,700 referrals being made to partner agencies for support with health, financial and other challenges.

Leeds landlords are being encouraged to have their say in a consultation which runs until 13th December, before the council decides whether to press ahead with its plans. A decision is expected in the first half of 2025 and the scheme could be implemented next autumn.

Councillor Jess Lennox, executive member for housing, says privately rented properties are a key source of housing in Leeds and it’s vitally important that they are safe, warm and well managed places to live.

She adds: “We want to explore options for protecting and improving the quality of every type of home in our city, with the newly launched consultation on selective licensing forming part of that work.”