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Liverpool agents face huge task of licensing thousands of landlord homes

The city's new selective licensing will start on 1st April covering some 45,000 rented properties, each requiring a separate application.

Nigel Lewis

liverpool city council

Letting agents in Liverpool face having to process thousands of licensing applications on behalf of landlords after the city’s council revealed its recently-agreed PRS registration scheme is to open on 1st April.

The selective licensing initiative, which covers 80% of the city’s privately rented homes – or 45,000 properties – opens for applications on that date.

Many landlords will be keen to get in early – properties registered before June 1st get an early bird discount of £170 off the £550 cost for the five-year scheme.

The scheme covers 16 of Liverpool’s wards including two of its most famous for football fans, Everton and Anfield.

Tooth and nail

The council fought tooth and nail to win Whitehall approval for the scheme and at one point was forced to scale down plans made in 2019 when former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick foiled its attempt to renew it until 2025. It finally got the green light in December.

Cabinet member for strategic development and housing, councillor Sarah Doyle (pictured), says it’s a major step forward to improving neighbourhoods.

liverpool doyleShe adds: “Too many vulnerable people in our city are in poor housing conditions, paying rent to a landlord who doesn’t carry out essential maintenance to keep them warm and safe. The landlord licensing scheme gives us regulation of private rented houses, so that we can take action when concerns are raised.”

Under the previous scheme, the council issued more than 2,500 legal notices, 169 formal cautions and 197 written warnings which resulted in more than 300 successful landlord offence prosecutions and 87 civil penalties.

Read more about the Liverpool estate agency sector.

March 16, 2022

One comment

  1. That’s nearly £25m in 5 years, plus fees to letting agents, for what? Legislation already exists to deal with landlords who don’t do repairs

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