A new selective licensing scheme has been approved for parts of Salford.
Councillors on the overwhelmingly Labour controlled authority gave the green light to the scheme, claiming its primary aim is to improve the quality and management of privately rented housing in specified areas where issues have been identified.
The base licence fee is £609. Landlords who join the council’s voluntary accreditation scheme and can access a licence fee of £390.
Licences will include a set of conditions designed to ensure homes are safe, well-managed, and habitable, the council says.
Landlords must ensure their rental properties are safe and well-maintained to keep them free from hazards like damp, mould, and structural defects. Licence holders are also required to take accountability for the condition and management of their properties, including responding to tenant complaints and maintaining proper records.
The scheme will run for five years and builds on the success of a previous initiative that operated from 2016 to 2021.
A spokesperson says: “This scheme is here to improve housing standards … In total it covers more than 1,300 homes.
“Local people have the chance to take part in a consultation on this and I would like to thanks them for their views which have helped to shape this final policy.
“Nobody should have to live in a rented property that is full of damp and mould and the Selective Licensing Scheme that we have agreed enables us to hold landlords to account. Legitimate landlords do not need to worry, it is poor property management that we are targeting.
“We will continue to work with landlords and local people to make this city a better, more inclusive and fairer place for all.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today