A consultation with local residents and landlords opens today asking for feedback about proposals to set up nine new Selective Licensing schemes that could cover 1,900 private rented homes.
Selective Licensing allows Council to require landlords of all private rented properties to obtain a license in a particular area and is intended to address the impact of poor-quality homes and improve management standards.
Licensing can be introduced if an area is experiencing significant and persistent problems caused by antisocial behaviour, poor property conditions, high levels of migration, high levels of deprivation, high levels of crime, low housing demand – or is likely to become such an area.
The new schemes include nine areas across six Manchester wards:
Whiteway Street, Harpurhey - 129 privately rented homes
Leng Road / Melrose Street and Scotland Street, Miles Platting & Newton Heath - 367
Viscount Street and Heald Grove, Moss Side -139
Enver Road, Crumpsall - 151
Heathcote / Sanby Road, Longsight - 192
Northmoor Road, Longsight - 471
Flats above shops on Cheetham Hill Road and Esmond / Avondale, Cheetham - 423
Take part in the Selective Licensing consultation online
Visit one of the public information events
The consultation will close on 22 July 2024
There are already nine live Selective Licensing schemes in Manchester covering around 2,000 privately rented sector properties, across eight Manchester wards.
Current schemes include:
The Ladders, Gorton and Abbey Hey – 670 privately rented homes (2022-2027)
Hyde Road, Gorton and Abbey Hey – 95 (2022-2027)
Trinity, Harpurhey – 428 (2022-2027)
Ben Street, Clayton and Openshaw – 99 (2022-2027)
Claremont Road / Great Western Street, Moss Side – 346 (2023 – 2028)
Matthews Lane, Levenshulme – 170 (2023 – 2028)
The Royals, Longsight - 74 (2023 – 2028)
Birch Lane, Rusholme - 70 (2023 – 2028)
Laindon / Dickenson Road, Rusholme – 38 (2023 – 2028)
Initial designation of Selective Licensing:
Crumpsall – 13 March 2017 to 12th March 2022 (now closed)
Moss Side – 8 Jan 2018 to 7th Jan 2023 (now closed)
Moston – 23 Apr 2018 to 22nd Apr 2023 (now closed)
Old Moat – 23 Apr 2018 to 22nd Apr 2023 (now closed)
Impact of previous licensing schemes:
- 3406 properties have been fully licensed since 2017 ensuring that these properties are safe for residents and managed on behalf of tenants.
- 887 compliance inspections have now been carried out that have identified more than 1,700 hazards that required addressing by the property owner.
- 214 found to be fully compliant under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and with the selective licensing conditions.
- 561 were identified as broadly compliant where there were less serious hazards identified on the inspection. Landlords were notified of the hazards and remediation work was suggested
- 100 properties were non-compliant and where owners received legal notices or were fined
Enforcement Action on non-compliant landlords
Enforcement action has been undertaken where necessary to target landlords who have failed to comply with the licensing scheme and notices to improve property conditions.
So far, these include:
- 21 Civil Penalty Notices totaling fines of more than £107,500 have been handed out to landlords and property owners that have failed to comply with the terms of Selective Licensing
- In total, 250 legal notices have been actioned urging landlords to make safety and other improvements within licensed properties.
- 13 prohibition orders and 3 suspended prohibition (orders that could close a property if standards don’t improve) have been issued mainly relating to overcrowding
Find out more about Selective Licensing
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:
“Selective Licensing is a necessary tool to help us support residents living in private rented sector properties as there are fewer regulations in place nationally to hold property owners to account and ensure the homes they are renting are safe and provide quality accommodation for their tenants.
“Through landlord licensing we have uncovered more than 1,700 hazards in Manchester homes following nearly 900 property inspections, which would’ve gone unchallenged without the licensing schemes in place.
“Of course, we know that the majority of private landlords are responsible and provide good accommodation. But landlord licensing is an effective way of tackling those that do not take their responsibility seriously – and we will use enforcement action where necessary.
“If you live in one of the proposed Selective Licensing areas – or you own a property in the area – we are looking for your feedback. Your thoughts will be invaluable as we look to expand licensing to more of Manchester’s private rented sector homes.”