Selective licensing scheme to tackle rogue landlords could be expanded south of Scarborough

The council brought in the compulsory scheme which requires landlords of properties to apply to the authority for a licence for areas in the north of the town in 2017. The central part of Scarborough was added to the scheme earlier this year.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), the council’s cabinet will be asked to start a public consultation on extending the scheme to cover parts of the Ramshill and Weaponness ward in the south.

The licence requires landlords to meet a range of licensing conditions including a current gas safety certificate if there is gas in the property, working smoke alarms and safe electrical appliances.

They must have suitable tenancy agreements and appropriate management arrangements in place, including those for dealing with anti-social behaviour and security. Proposed licence holders and managers are also be required to prove that they are “fit and proper” persons.

Close to 1,000 licences have already been issued in the north of Scarborough and hundreds of homes and properties have been inspected with thousands of hazards and issues found.

A report, prepared for the cabinet, notes that the first prosecutions under the scheme are currently being taken forward.

The report adds: “It is estimated that the number of licensed properties for the area shall be in the region of 550. As a result, the estimated total cost of the scheme is likely to be in the region of £345K. However, this figure will be subject to a detailed cost calculation along the same lines as was done for the Scarborough North designation.

“The detailed cost calculation will also determine the base licence fee for the scheme.

“The base licence fee for the existing designations was calculated at £550. This fee level was based on actual hourly rates for each proposed element of activity within the administration of the scheme. The same process will be undertaken for the Scarborough South designation to determine the base licence fee.”

It is hoped the scheme will commence in the new wards in February 2021.