By John Baron
A scheme to crack down on rogue landlords in Armley has been given the go ahead by senior councillors.
The selective licensing scheme aims to drive up the standard of private sector rented housing and deliver improved quality of life for thousands of people in Leeds.
Proposals for the scheme – which will more closely regulate landlords in a number of deprived local communities – were originally announced by Leeds City Council last year.
Councillors sitting on the decision-making executive board voted to endorse the business case and, as a result, new regulatory arrangements will come into effect in February next year.
All private landlords – with certain limited exceptions – will be required by law to obtain a licence for any residential property they are seeking to let in the area covered by the scheme.
Licence conditions will include ensuring the safe working of gas or electric appliances, providing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and keeping the property in a decent state of repair, both inside and out.
The scheme will cover around 12,500 privately-rented homes in a single continuous area that takes in parts of the Armley, Beeston & Holbeck, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill, Gipton & Harehills, Hunslet & Riverside and Farnley & Wortley council wards.
The green light for the plans follows two selective licensing schemes that ran in the Beeston and Harehills areas from 2020 until the start of this year.
More than 6,700 inspections and other visits were conducted by the council at privately-rented properties in those areas while the schemes were in operation.
Improvement work was carried out by landlords at around 1,430 homes where issues were identified, leading to better living conditions for an estimated 6,000 people. Around 400 civil penalties were issued to landlords who failed to do what was asked of them.
The visits also gave council officers increased opportunities to identify situations where tenants were facing non-housing related problems.
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “We are determined, as a council, to ensure that everyone in Leeds can enjoy the stability and sense of security that comes with having a safe, warm and well-managed place to live.
“To do this, we need to focus on all types of housing – including private rentals, which account for a fifth of the city’s homes.
“I’m delighted, therefore, that the business case for a new and expanded selective licensing scheme has been endorsed by the council’s executive board.
“Today’s decision means we can now press ahead with preparations for the introduction of a scheme that we believe will make a huge difference to the standard of privately-rented homes.
“Given the clear link that exists between poor housing and poor health, it’s our hope that this scheme will also have a really positive impact on the general wellbeing of residents in disadvantaged communities.”
Consultation on the council’s plans took place over a 12-week period late last year, with drop-in events, radio and bus advertising, social media activity, targeted e-mails and questionnaires all being used to reach as many people as possible.
Income received from licensing fees will be ringfenced to cover the cost of running the scheme.