Mar

Greenwich’s selective licensing plans are latest to be scuppered by Coronavirus

admin

Borough appears to following landlords’ advice that all visits other than essential maintenance would put tenants and staff at risk.

Greenwich is the latest London borough to
pause its selective licensing consultation in response to the Coronavirus
crisis.

The council kicked off the
process in February which was due to end on 26th April but has decided to call
a halt due to ‘safety issues’.

It already operates a
borough-wide HMO licensing scheme but wants a new scheme to cover parts of Plumstead, Glyndon,
Shooters Hill, Woolwich Common and Woolwich Riverside.

Greenwich council believes selective
licensing will help it improve town centres by reducing crime and anti-social
behaviour, while improving living conditions for tenants.

The Residential Landlords
Association (RLA) has written to all local authorities currently consulting on
licensing schemes, such as Greenwich, asking them to extend consultation
periods. It says current legal restrictions mean landlords won’t be able to
attend council-run forums.

Along with the National
Landlords Association, it’s also calling for a suspension of routine
inspections of properties by landlords and a temporary halt on enforcement
action by local authorities where landlords can’t fulfil certain non-essential
obligations because of the health risks.

In a letter
sent to all authorities, the RLA says: “At this time, it is only
sensible to restrict visits to property to only those required to address
issues of tenant safety and the habitability of the property, such as heating
failure and water supply and sanitation problems.”

Nearby
borough Camden has suspended inspections while Luton’s scheme, which was scheduled for 1^st May, has now been
deferred.

View Full Article: Greenwich’s selective licensing plans are latest to be scuppered by Coronavirus