New Selective Licencing Scheme Approved for Scarborough Landlords

A new selective licencing scheme is to be introduced in parts of Scarborough.

Landlords in the Castle, Falsgrave and Stepney and Northstead wards will need to apply for a licence and meet housing standards before being able to rent out a property.

There are already two similar schemes operating in other parts of the town.

North Yorkshire Councillor - Derek Basitman - is backing the introduction of the new scheme.

Where an area has been designated for Selective Licensing, all privately rented properties are required to apply for a licence in order to rent out their properties. Failure to apply for a licence, will result in enforcement action being taken, and ultimately prosecution of the landlord.

The council says that the purpose of Selective Licensing is

"primarily to improve both property conditions and management standards with the private rented sector. As a result, it will contribute to the improved health and wellbeing of all tenants and residents of private rented properties within the designated area."

To designate an area for Selective Licensing, it has to have a high concentration of private rented properties, and has to meet at least one of the conditions as set out by the Government. These are:

• Poor property conditions
• High levels of deprivation
• Low demand
• High levels of anti-social behaviour
• High levels of crime
• High levels of migration

A large part of Scarborough town has a very high concentration of privately rented properties with over 50% of the housing stock, privately rented compared to the county average of 19%.

The council says that Scarborough town also meets two of the government conditions; namely poor property conditions and high levels of deprivation, based on research previously carried out in 2015 and updated more recently following the release of the 2021 Census information.

The former Scarborough Borough Council designated three separate Selective Licensing schemes in Scarborough between 2017 and 2022, two of which are still in operation. The designations are for a five year period, after which the authority has to go through the full process of re-designation, should they wish to renew a scheme

No other part of North Yorkshire has ever designated an area for Selective Licensing. However, a “State of the Nation” report has been commissioned by the Council to provide an assessment of the private rented sector across the whole authority.

A consultation on the scheme took place from 1st September to 10th November for a period of 10 weeks which North Yorkshire Council's Housing Development Officer - John Burroughs - says showed strong backing for the scheme from both renters and landlords.

John Burroughs says that landlords will be able to apply for discounts to the fees, including one for landlords who are already licenced under existing schemes.

The council says that without Selective Licensing, officers are only able to inspect privately rented properties when they receive a complaint from a tenant/resident or agency/organisation about the property or landlord. Only a small proportion of tenants complain to the Council when they have a problem with their property or landlord. In effect, it is a reactive service.

A report to the council's Executive committee said:

"By inspecting all licensed properties as an integral part of the licensing process, this enables us to take a proactive approach and address issues of disrepair and poor property conditions generally. It enables the condition of all privately rented properties to all be brought up to an acceptable standard in a designated area and to be free from hazards.

Evaluation of both the Scarborough North and Scarborough Central selective licensing designations recorded that almost 1700 Category 1 hazards (defined as being a risk to health and safety of tenants and residents) were identified and resolved and a further 7000 general disrepair issues were identified and resolved."

Scarborough Councillor Eric Broadbent says the feedback he's had from local people has been positive.

The scheme was approved by North Yorkshire Council's Executive this week it is likely to become operational from June 2024.