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Private rented property licensing

We consulted extensively on a proposal to introduce two new private rented property licensing schemes - additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and selective licensing.

The consultation was open to all, including residents, tenants, landlords, agents and businesses both inside and outside the borough. It ran for 13 weeks between 20 August and 29 November 2019, and is now closed.

The two proposed schemes aim to improve the housing conditions of private rented property and their management, reduce antisocial behaviour, and act on things that make deprivation worse, such as overcrowding.

The two proposed licensing schemes are:

  • Selective licensing - which would run in the following fourteen wards:
    • Bowes
    • Chase
    • Edmonton Green
    • Enfield Highway
    • Enfield Lock
    • Haselbury
    • Jubilee
    • Lower Edmonton
    • Palmers Green
    • Ponders End
    • Southbury
    • Southgate Green
    • Turkey Street
    • Upper Edmonton
  • Additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) - which would apply to the whole borough

You can view the consultation documents by visiting Mel Research.

We received 1,861 responses to the questionnaires, 794 from the online survey and 1,067 from the face to face survey. We also received feedback at four public meetings attended by 241 people, from 35 written responses submitted by interested parties and via ten stakeholder interviews.

There were high levels of support for the proposed licensing schemes and licence conditions (about 7 in 10 respondents), and just over half of the respondents found the proposed licence fees reasonable.

Overall by group, residents' responses were strongly supportive of the proposals (86% for selective licensing and 87% for additional HMO licensing), followed by private renting tenants' responses who were also strongly supportive (81% each for selective licensing and additional HMO licensing). Landlords' responses were generally opposed to the proposed selective licensing (18% agreed and 73% disagreed), and more than half were opposed to the additional HMO licensing scheme (30% agreed and 56% disagreed with additional HMO licensing).

Overall, the key outcomes of the public consultation were:

  • 69% of respondents supported the introduction of selective licensing schemes
  • 72% of respondents supported the introduction of additional licensing scheme
  • 71% of respondents agreed with the proposed selective licensing conditions
  • 73% of respondents agreed with the proposed additional licensing conditions
  • 53% of respondents agreed the proposed selective licence fee is reasonable
  • 53% of respondents agreed the proposed additional licence fee is reasonable

View the public consultation outcome report (PDF) and appendices to the report (PDF).

Summary of response

The feedback from the consultation was carefully considered and is detailed below. Following this consideration, we do not propose to change the proposed schemes or licence fees but are proposing some amendments to licence conditions. As a result of feedback, the changes we have made are:

  • The introduction of civil penalties for breaches of housing legislation as an additional enforcement tool (maximum fine of £30,000 for most severe cases)
  • Provide dedicated webpages on Enfield Council's website with information for both tenants and landlords and signpost to any funding for grants (e.g. energy efficiency)
  • Include resources to support tenants and landlords such as tenancy relations and antisocial behaviour officers
  • Easy means of reporting substandard properties (online 'report it' form and dedicated telephone line and email)
  • If there are concerns about the licence holder or management of the property, we may impose a condition requiring the licence holder to be accredited but this will be on a case by case basis if considered necessary
  • Allow for one (rather than several) selective licence application for buildings where all the flats are under common ownership or management if certain criteria are met
  • Propose to set up a stakeholder group involving landlords and letting agents operating in the borough to work with us on setting the guidance and information we provide to landlords
  • Removal of draft condition 3.5 from the additional and selective licence conditions (external property decorative order)
  • Removal of draft conditions 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3 from the additional licence conditions (responsibilities for Council Tax and payment)

View the council's full response to the consultation (PDF).

Additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Enfield Council's Cabinet considered and approved the additional licensing scheme.

Additional licensing will come into effect, borough-wide on 1 September 2020, for all HMOs that are privately rented and occupied by three or more persons forming two or more households sharing amenities under one or more tenancies.

View the public notice for the designation (PDF).

Selective licensing

Enfield Council's Cabinet considered and approved the selective licensing scheme.

Selective licensing of this scale requires the confirmation of the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). An application will be made for approval.