Rob talks about the recent proposal by Leeds City Council to implement the highest licensing fee for landlords in the UK, set at £1,225, which represents a 45% increase from the current rate, raising concerns about selective licensing schemes, arguing that these initiatives are primarily cash-generating measures rather than genuine efforts to improve housing standards. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leeds City Council has proposed raising the licensing fee for landlords to £1,225, marking a 45% increase from the current fee, which is the highest in the UK.
• The increase in licensing fees is likely to be passed on to tenants through higher rents, potentially leading to an inflationary spiral that negatively affects those the licensing is intended to protect.
• Councils often justify selective licensing by claiming it aims to improve housing standards and protect tenants, but there are doubts about its effectiveness, especially in areas with poor housing conditions.
• The implementation of selective licensing schemes incurs additional administrative costs for councils, which may further complicate the financial burden on landlords and, consequently, tenants.

BEST MOMENTS

"Leeds City Council has proposed charging the highest fee in the country... £1,225 to have a license to operate a buy-to-let property."

"The very thing that selective licensing schemes are trying to protect... the tenants are going to become the most worse off out of this because the fees will get passed on to them."

"It's not necessarily the implementation of the licensing. It's almost the lying about it and saying, well, this is what it's for, when really it's got nothing to do with that."

"The revenue from the scheme is to allow the local authorities to increase enforcement and improve standards... raising doubts about the direct impact of licensing on housing standards."

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