PRIVATE LANDLORD FORUM

28th JULY 2015

PRIVATE LANDLORD FORUMINTRODUCTION

• WELCOME

• Update on Article 4 area and HMO licensing

• Proposals for a Social Letting Agency

• Developing a Private Rented Housing Strategy

• Q and A session

PRIVATE LANDLORD FORUMService update

The “Planning” Bit

• Article 4 Direction takes effect March 2011/2012

• Permitted Development Rights Removed

PRIVATE LANDLORD FORUMService update

Area currently covered by HMO Article 4 Directions

Permitted Development Rights (simplified)

Use Class C3: ( a ) single household (Families ) ( b ) up to 6 persons ( assisted living) ( c) up to 6 persons ( anything else not in C4, C3 (a) or C3 (b)No planning permisson requiredUse Class C4: Dwellinghouse 3-6 unrelated residents. Needs planning permission in Article 4 AreasSui Generis: More than 6 persons Always needs planning permission

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Planning ApplicationFee or no fee payable?No fee if your permitted development rights have been removed ( ie Article 4 Area and 6 persons or less )Application pack: Application form, Scale floor plan showing windows & doors. 1:1250 site plan. Fee if payable Decision Process:Currently delegated to Officers unless called in by a Councillor. Minimum 8 week determination period.

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Adopted Interim Planning Policy Statement (2014 )4 Key Principles:

Inclusive communities & protect neighbourhood and streetscene characterSecure adequate facilities & amenities. Reduce flood riskAdequate parking & sustainable travel movementsEnsure adequate storage & refuse provision

Policy H5 of West Northants Joint Core StrategyPolicy H30 of Northampton Local PlanMore than 15% concentration ( of HMO’s) in 50m radius

Planning Application Considerations

Further Advice and Guidance

• Email: planning@northampton.gov.uk• Phone: 0300 330 7000 (Option 6 then option 1)• Call in: Duty Planning Officer Service (9am to 4.30pm)

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Mandatory HMO Licensing

Additional HMO licensing

Investigations

Getting the balance right?

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Mandatory HMO Licensing

National scheme introduced in April 2006Dec 2014 ~ 225 mandatory licensed HMO's

(approx 28 per annum)

Jan 2015 ~ 180 suspected mandatory HMO’s

June 2015 ~ 283 licensed HMO's

58 new licences in a six month period

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Additional HMO licensingScheme commenced in November 2014 sharing a boundary with the Article 4 direction for two storey HMO's

Nov ‘14 ~ March ‘15 96 additional licences issued

Jan 15 ~ 619 suspected HMO’s

April ‘15 ~ June ‘15 an extra 194 licences issued

290 two storey HMO’s licensed and aiming for 500 by March 2016

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Investigation ~ a mix of reactive and proactive work using information and data from Planning, Fire Service, Council Tax (student exemptions) Housing Benefit & local intelligence.

4,500 dwellings in street surveys to assist Planning Service

100 letters to unlicensed student accreditation scheme HMO’s

180 suspected mandatory HMO’s 240 reduced to 66 619 suspected additional HMO’s 719 reduced to 414

Investigations lead to applications but 4 prosecution cases in progress could lead to a max £20 k fine + £5k for each management breach.

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Getting the balance right.Recognition of good landlords and agents ~ within fee structure and access to schemes

Managed interventions ~ trust and cooperation, encouraging dialogue.

Rogue operators undercut good landlords ~ policies and fee structures amended to penalise and add costs to poor providers. (fees increased for failure to licence and licence periods shortened etc)

•

Social Lettings AgencyImproving, managing, enabling.

Phil Harris28 July 2015

What we will be focusing on • Reasons for establishing

a social lettings agency• What we already know

• Increasing confidence

(landlords and tenants)• Removing barriers and

sustaining tenancies• The difference the social mproving,

lettings agency will make

Need for social lettings agency • High demand and high

rents are making it hard for people to access the private rented sector

• Big shortfalls between market rent and LHA

• Landlords are worried about potential impact of welfare reform

Need for social lettings agency • We deal with serious

disrepair and unsafe, badly managed housing

• We license houses in multiple occupation

• We bring empty homes back into productive use

• We want to increase the supply of adapted homes

What we already know• Most landlords prefer

to have one tenant who stays for 5 years, rather than five tenants who each stay for just a year

• Financial incentives (rent-in-advance and damage deposits, etc) are helpful, but may not be enough on their own

What we also know• Many landlords have

told us that ongoing tenancy support is as important as financial incentives in persuading them to offer us housing

• Many landlords want us to pay their tenants’ rent direct and to indemnify them against rent loss

Increasing tenants’ confidence• Tenants want to be sure

that they can afford the rent, that all repairs will be done promptly and they will not have to keep moving home.

• Many put off by limited security of tenure and perceived unreliability of private landlords

Increasing landlords’ confidence• Most landlords want to

be reassured that their tenants will look after their property, pay their rent, comply with their tenancy conditions and move out on time

• Many landlords want to have the opportunity to choose their tenants

Removing barriers • Letting properties that are

well managed, of a good quality and affordable

• Basing the size of any rental deposit on the tenant’s ability to pay

• Providing references and a choice of tenants

• Entering into long-term leasing arrangements

Sustaining tenancies• Providing inexperienced

tenants with training, support and mentoring

• Improving budgeting and encouraging saving

• Ensuring that tenants prioritise rent payments

• Putting tenants at heart of new wellbeing service

Improving private housing• Empty homes activity• Agreed lettings standard

• Essential works may sometimes be funded by the Council and then recovered from future lease payments

• Supports enforcement of housing standards

Managing housing better• Providing high quality,

tenant-focused housing management services

• Offering an acceptable alternative for absent or ineffective landlords

• Playing to the strengths of the local authority and its partners

Working better together• Strong, effective

partnerships

• Multi agency approach

• Co-operative, collaborative and proactive

• Shared values and objectives

Changing the status quo • Improving housing conditions

and management in the private rented sector

• Helping to meet local housing need / demand

• Reducing the Council’s use of temporary accommodation

• Leading by example

Time for a leap of faith ...

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Private Rented Housing Strategy

Discussion led by:

Phil Harris, Head of Housing and Wellbeing

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CONCLUSION

Question and answer session ~ panel

Concluding remarks