Rogue landlords have been told to 'buck their ideas up' ahead of a decision on whether to introduce new licensing fees. Plans to widen out a selective licensing scheme to apply to landlords in Carlton Hill, Colwick, Daybrook and Newstead Village have been recommended for approval at Gedling Borough Council's cabinet meeting on July 6.
Selective licensing schemes are brought in across areas with high levels of rented properties, and aim to reduce anti-social behaviour and improve both housing standards and property conditions for tenants and landlords. A selective licensing scheme has been in place in Netherfield since October 1, 2018.
Landlords who rent out homes in these areas must pay for a licence and meet criteria set out by the local authority, which aims to ensure the homes they rent are of high quality for the people living in them. Other councils in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, including the Labour-led city council and Independent-led Ashfield District Council, have introduced similar policies.
People living in Daybrook acknowledged tenants could occasionally make life difficult for property-owners, but thought some landlords 'needed to buck their ideas up'. Peter Lane, 51, from Daybrook, lives in a council property but said the impact of bad private landlords was widely known.
"I live in a council house, but you hear it all the time about bad landlords, it's over Facebook all the time. It would make them buck their ideas up," Mr Lane said.
"Nobody for the most part wants to live in a badly maintained property. There should be standards in place and everybody deserves a decent home.
"If that [the licensing fee] means raising people's rents, I think that's only reasonable if the houses are good quality."
Bryn Mitchell, 74, who is retired and lives in Daybrook, said: "It seems like a good idea, there are a lot of private landlords around now. A lot of them seem to not be doing the right things.
"But then you have difficult tenants that don't treat properties right. It is a balancing act as a lot of people are struggling at the minute.
"People want homes that are comfortable so they can go about their life. But nobody wants their rent going up to cover the fees."
A council document stated the scheme in Netherfield had been "successful in terms of achieving compliance, introducing minimum property management standards and improving housing conditions". Gedling Borough Council have issued 595 licences and completed more than 400 property inspections, with health and safety hazards below the minimum legal standard being discovered in 78 per cent of these homes - 40 of those homes had hazards which presented an "imminent risk to the occupants".
Nick Smith, 68, a retiree who lives in Mapperley, said: "There should have been something like that already in place. I am surprised there wasn't already some sort of licensing.
"I used to work as a mental health nurse and some of the things you see in rented out properties are awful. And it is single mums or vulnerable people who suffer the worst if their landlord doesn't help them.
"There are definitely people who are difficult tenants but the landlords should maintain things to certain standards. I bet where they live is maintained so why aren't some of them doing the same in their rental homes."
A Daybrook resident, who did not want to be named, added: "It is a good thing definitely. My son had a terrible landlord, there are properties where the landlords just want your money.
"I know a couple across the road as well who asked their landlord for repairs and now he wants to evict them. It needs sorting, people shouldn't have to live that nowadays."
Landlords have warned selecting licensing schemes would increase the price of rent for tenants. A landlord in Nottingham previously told Nottinghamshire Live the scheme would lead to "more homeless in Nottingham coming and more expensive rents".
Read next:
Landlord licensing scheme to improve rented homes in Gedling going to consultation
Arnold neighbours surprised at house extension decision by council
Gedling Borough Council pays £100 compensation to man after multiple missed garden waste collections
Nottinghamshire councils lock horns over 'life destroying' road plan for new housing estate
Major levelling up investment announced for Gedling to help borough 'reach full potential'
