A new Selective Licensing Scheme to Improve Rented Properties in the inner area of Blackpool has been approved. It will enable the Council to tackle the poor conditions of some privately rented properties.
Selective Licensing Scheme to Improve Rented Properties
Selective licensing aims to improve housing standards in the area by addressing poor management practices being offered by some private landlords.
The scheme has received approval by the Secretary of State. This comes after a ten week consultation with a range of stakeholders across the town including tenants and landlords. 61.2% of tenants and 18.8% of landlords were in favour of the proposal.
The selective licensing scheme includes the inner area of Blackpool. It covers the eight inner wards of Bloomfield, Brunswick, Claremont, Talbot, Tyldesley, Warbreck, Waterloo and Victoria. This includes approximately 11,000 privately rented properties.
What does Selective Licensing Mean for Landlords and Tenants?
Under the scheme, all landlords in the designated area will have to adhere to a number of licence conditions. These include property management, tenancy management and fire safety.
Every house, flat or room used as private rented accommodation in the designated area will have to apply for a licence. (Subject to the relevant exemptions). The scheme begins on 1 April 2025.
- The standard licence fee for a single dwelling starts from £347 for the full five year period of the scheme. This is just £69.40 per year for a single dwelling.
- Significant discounts are included in this fee. For landlords meeting the Blackpool standard and those applying early (within the first 3 months of the scheme starting).
- The licence fee for a single dwelling increases to £772 for landlords not meeting the Blackpool standard or eligible for any of the other discounts.
The selective licensing scheme will be self-financing with no profit generated for the council as a result. The fees for the licence go back into running the scheme and supporting landlords as much as possible.
Decent Homes
The need for improvements to housing was also highlighted in the Decent Homes Enforcement Pilot in the town. 679 inspections carried out during the first year of the pilot showed 67% of those properties containing at least one Category 1 hazard.
The selective licensing scheme will allow for more resource to inspect properties. This will help to improve and raise standards of rental properties on offer in the inner area of town.
Cllr Mark Smith is Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy and Built Environment. He said: “We’re committed to improving housing conditions across the town. Ensuring private rented homes are safe and provide a good standard of living for residents.
“We recognise that many landlords provide accommodation far above and beyond the minimum standards required by law in Blackpool. Unfortunately there are many properties that fall below acceptable standards.
“There is a strong link between poor housing standards and deprivation. This scheme will help tackle the high levels of deprivation in the designated area due to poorly maintained private rented properties.
“We want to work with landlords and support them to make the necessary improvements to meet the Blackpool standards that residents deserve.”
Apply for a License
Landlords with properties in the designated area can apply for a licence on the Blackpool Council website when the scheme begins on 1 April 2025.
For more information or to check which ward a property falls into, visit www.blackpool.gov.uk/selectivelicensing
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