CIEH-backed amendment on licensing to be discussed by MPs scrutinising Renters’ Rights Bill

An amendment on licensing backed by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has been tabled for discussion by a committee of MPs scrutinising the Renters’ Rights Bill.

The amendment would increase the maximum duration of discretionary licensing schemes from five to ten years and would enable local authorities operating selective licensing schemes to use licence conditions to improve housing conditions.

CIEH says that licensing provides a means for local authorities to inspect privately rented housing using enforceable conditions - and to identify and resolve problems - without the need for tenants to have complained. It believes the changes proposed in the amendment would remove unnecessary barriers to the use of licensing schemes to improve housing standards.

CIEH argues that increasing the maximum duration of discretionary licensing schemes, which include selective licensing schemes and additional licensing schemes for houses in multiple occupation with less than five occupiers, would allow local authorities to advertise longer term posts and to include training of new staff in such schemes. It would also provide more time for local partnerships formed through such schemes to become embedded and effective.

CIEH wants to remove a “peculiar disconnect” in current legislation whereby local authorities can introduce selective licensing schemes to address poor housing conditions but cannot include a directly enforceable requirement relating to housing condition as a condition of the licence itself.

The amendment, which is also backed by the Renters’ Reform Coalition, is amendment NC9 on the amendment paper here. A CIEH parliamentary briefing urging support for the amendment can be found here.

Mark Elliott, President of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said:

“We have been working hard to highlight these issues and are delighted that they will now be discussed by a parliamentary committee.

The Government should grasp this opportunity to make it easier for local authorities to use licensing schemes to improve housing standards.

We will continue to make the voice of environmental health professionals heard on licensing and other issues during the passage of the Bill through parliament.”