Big London council brings 20,000 more rented homes into licensing
With one in four households in Lewisham renting privately, the Council says the new scheme will help it ensure landlords are providing safe and decent quality homes and fair treatment for renters.
Lewisham Council is escalating plans to tackle rogue agents and landlords after it voted through measures that mean most privately rented properties in the London borough will need licensing
With one in four households in Lewisham renting privately the Council says the new selective scheme will help it ensure landlords are providing safe and decent quality homes and fair treatment for renters.
20,000 PROPERTIES
The new scheme will cover an additional 20,000 properties in the borough, which are not included in existing licensing schemes for Houses of Multiple Occupations (HMOs).
To obtain a licence, properties will need to certify that they meet minimum health and safety standards. Landlords who fail to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, such as carrying out repairs in a timely fashion, will be subject to enforcement action.
During the consultation the Council found increased demand for privately rented homes had also seen an increase in rents being charged.”
This, it said, combined with the cost-of-living crisis, was pushing more residents into difficult choices between affordability and quality of accommodation.
Over half of the residential properties in the borough were built pre-Second World War and housing conditions tend to be worse in older properties.
It also cited the tragic case of Awaab Ishak, the two-year-old boy who died in 2020 as a result of prolonged exposure to damp and mould serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of addressing health and safety standards in all rented homes.
HIGHER STANDARD
Councillor Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, says: “Selective licensing will ensure Lewisham’s privately rented housing is of a higher standard and comes with better security for renters, who make up a quarter of residents in our borough.
“Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to call home, and this scheme will support the Council to take meaningful action against landlords who fail to fulfil their responsibilities.”
He adds: “20,000 additional properties in Lewisham will now be subject to improved standards and reduced antisocial behaviour, making Lewisham a fairer and more enjoyable place to live.”
