Great Yarmouth’s plans to expand selective licensing across 5,000 rental properties face criticism over mandatory quarterly inspections that landlords claim will invade tenants’ privacy.

Huge imposition

Paul Cunningham (pictured), chairman of both the Eastern Landlords Association and the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Landlords Association, describes the proposed licensing conditions as ‘a huge imposition on tenants’ as landlords would be required to inspect properties at least every three months.

The criticism comes as Great Yarmouth Borough Council consults on expanding selective licensing beyond Nelson ward to include Southtown & Cobholm, Central & Northgate and part of Yarmouth North.

The council says it is proposing the changes to tackle poor housing conditions and claims that the original Nelson ward scheme achieved ‘considerable improvements’ across 1,553 licensed properties between 2019 and 2024.

Cunningham, though, disputes the council’s claims and argues the quarterly inspection requirement represents a significant escalation from previous arrangements.

It’s a bit like repeating a process that didn’t work the last time.”

He told the BBC: “It’s a bit like repeating a process that didn’t work the last time. This one is more onerous, and part of the licence conditions will be that the landlord has to do four inspections a year on those properties.”

Paul Wells, the council’s cabinet member for licensing, however, has defended the enhanced inspection regime as necessary to address serious housing problems. He says: “We’ve got properties that have been used as cannabis factories; properties used as houses in multiple occupation, piling people in when we know they aren’t suitable for that; with mould up the walls; with faulty electrics.”

Under the new rules, landlords will have to make four inspections per year to ensure property exteriors remain in a ‘good state of repair’ and take ‘all reasonable and practical steps available’ to reduce antisocial behaviour. Records of the inspections will have to be kept and made available to the council.

James Wilson, the council’s head of environmental services, acknowledges the privacy concerns but says the authority remains open to negotiation. He argues, though, that regular inspections would give landlords “the opportunity to see the condition of their property and possibly prevent some illegal activity.”