It has now been announced that Newcastle City Council are to introduce further selective and additional licensing across Newcastle upon Tyne in a drive to increase the overall standards of rental properties. As HMO specialists we have been involved in numerous changes to licensing schemes since 2006 when Mandatory Licensing was introduced. These further new changes will see two new schemes being introduced in the form of ‘Additional Licensing’ and ‘Selective Licensing’.
What is Additional and Selective Licensing?
The Housing Act 2004 gives Local Authorities the power to impose additional licensing to properties that currently do not fall under the existing mandatory schemes. From 6th July 2020 Newcastle City Council are extending their licensing scheme to include ANY property that has 3 or more sharers forming 2 or more households across the majority of the City.
The Housing Act 2004 also provides councils with the power to introduce licensing of privately rented properties in selected areas. This requires that ALL privately rented properties in that selected area have a license regardless of number of occupants. For example, if you currently rent out a one or two bedroom in a selected area you will require a licence. A large area of the East End of the city, including Heaton and Sandyford, and some parts of the West End of Newcastle-upon-Tyne are affected.
What can Pat Robson & Co do for you?
We have many years of experience dealing with licensing with Newcastle City Council and we pride ourselves on our knowledge and personal service which we offer to all of our clients. Whether you currently manage your rental property yourself, or are using another agent, we can ensure that it is a smooth transition coming over to our managed service. With 6 MONTHS FREE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT for all new instructions, there has never been a better time for Pat Robson & Co’s dedicated Property Management team to take control of looking after your property. With your own allocated Property Manager, they will be your point of contact ensuring smooth communication at all times.
Whatever your requirements, with our dedicated Sales and Lettings teams, we can guide you through the process of selling your property or finding you your next set of tenants with our large database of prospective buyers and applicants looking for their new home.
For more information on our services or to discuss if your property may be affected by these changes please feel free to e-mail nclennell@patrobson.com or call us on 0191 20 90 100.
