Croydon Council is in the process of  renewing the landlord licensing scheme.

It was first introduced in October 2015, to ensure that landlords rented out properties that met key housing, environmental and safety standards. The council is currently running a public consultation until March 9 on proposals to renew the landlord licensing scheme after its current five-year term expires on September 30.

Under legislation introduced since Croydon’s existing scheme came into force, final Government permission is now needed for any new licensing scheme if it covers more than 20 per cent of a borough.

The licence costs £750 per property,  or more if a landlord needs more support to deliver their responsibilities,  which is renewable at least every five years. 

The current scheme covers over 35,000 homes and so generates income of at least over £26million which the council says it ploughs back in to running the service. The council’s licensing teams monitor these properties based on a combination of proactive inspections, online checks, responding to tenant complaints or answering public queries.

The team has inspected more than 11,000 properties with most issues, from fixing appliances to ensuring fire safety, resolved without an improvement notice or prosecution.  However, landlords who let unlicensed properties or fail to take appropriate action are fined or prosecuted. This has resulted in 66 properties banned from being let and 33 landlords facing penalties..

In October magistrates fined a landlord and two companies for failing to apply for license for a flat or answer requests for information with the council also issuing  an improvement notice for having no smoke detectors and defective electrics.

Other prosecutions included two people fined £4,000 each for letting a damp and mouldy Croydon house and a landlord fined over £6,000 for renting out a flat with inadequate fire safety measures.

Thornton Heath Library is holding a drop in session to discuss the proposals on February 19, midday to 2pm. 

 To check and report an unlicensed property visit: www.croydon.gov.uk/CPRPLregister