The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has secured two amendments around tougher licensing rules in the next Renters’ Rights Bill debate.
The first amendment – to be debated on Friday in the House of Lords - 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 schemes to address poor housing conditions but can’t include conditions requiring the physical state of the licensed property to be improved in the licence itself.
The second amendment would increase the maximum duration of selective licensing and additional licensing schemes from five to ten years. CIEH argues that this would allow local authorities to advertise longer term posts and include training new staff.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Shipley (main image), vice president of the Local Government Association, has tabled the amendments - which are backed by the Renters’ Reform Coalition - after Green MP Carla Denyer raised them in the Commons.
CIEH believes they would remove unnecessary barriers to improve housing standards. President Mark Elliott says licensing allows local authorities to inspect privately rented housing using enforceable conditions - and to identify and resolve problems - without the need for tenants to have complained.
“Our amendments would make it easier for local authorities to use licensing schemes to improve housing standards,” he explains. “We are delighted to have obtained support for them from politicians from different political backgrounds. These are sensible and constructive amendments, and we urge the government to accept them.”
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