Selective Licensing Scheme consultation

We are consulting on whether to renew, alter, or end the current Selective Licensing Scheme which is in operation in three areas of the borough and is due to come to an end in October 2021.

The questionnaires below will be the key tools in engaging with residents, businesses, landlords and all the relevant stakeholders. Through these questionnaires and consultation meetings we hope to receive feedback, suggestions and comments from all the relevant stakeholders to help the council make the decision on the renewal, alteration or cessation of the scheme.

The current Selective Licensing Scheme (under Part 3 of the Housing Action 2004) has been in operation in Weavers, Whitechapel, Spitalfields and Banglatown since October 2016. The scheme has put a legal duty on landlords or persons responsible for the privately rented properties to apply for a licence. Failing to apply for the licence is an offence and landlords are liable to prosecution or a fine of up to £30,000. The scheme has achieved notable success in improving the overall management of privately rented properties in these areas, by requiring good and effective management of rented properties to prevent and deal with anti-social behaviour emanating from the private rented sector, which in turn results in an overall improvement of property conditions and these neighbourhoods as a whole.

The council commissioned an independent expert, Mayhew Harper Associates Ltd, to review the effectiveness of the scheme three quarters of the way through the process by looking at all available data. Mayhew Associates has produced a report entitled ‘Selective Licensing in Tower Hamlets’. The report sets out the data and the evidence base which is guiding the officers and in turn the mayor and councillors to make the final decision about the future of the scheme.

Based on the data provided by the above mentioned report, council officers are proposing to recommend renewing the designation, depending on the outcome of this consultation. This is to allow the council to:

• Consolidate the improvement and build on the success achieved by the scheme.
• Ensure rogue landlords are caught and driven out of the sector.
• Complete the works started in professionalising the sector and assist “one off, incidental and part time” landlords protect their assets and their tenants with better property management.
• There is still much work needed to create a level playing field so that the good, responsible and law abiding landlords or agents are not competing with unprofessional and criminal elements in the sector.

It is therefore crucial the council hears from as many people as possible who may be affected or have an interest in this area to help with the decision making and shaping the council’s approach going forward. It will take around 10 minutes of your time to answer these questions and put your comments or suggestions forward.