Issue - meetings

Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group Final Report

 

 

Meeting: 24/05/2018 - Cabinet (Item 4)

4 Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group Final Report pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 48 of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills) of 13 March 2018, the Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance that formally presented the final report of the  formally the final report of the Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group.

 

Decision Made: That the recommendations of the Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group be approved, as follows:-

 

(1)

the monitoring factors as detailed in the table below be approved as the set of suitable measurable data sets to be used to report on the intended outcomes of the licensing schemes:-

 

Monitoring factor

 

Description

Why measure?

Number of licences applied for per scheme

 

Total number of properties for which an application for a licence has been made, against the number of identified Privately rented properties that require a licence

To ensure landlords have applied for a licence where applicable.

 

To compare the actual number of private rented properties against the original, estimated number.

This will also assist with the financial management of the schemes.

Number of licences granted per scheme

 

How many properties currently have a licence against the number applied for and number of identified properties requiring a licence.

To ensure all licensable properties obtain a licence and meet license conditions.

Number of properties accredited;

a)    Inside the licensing areas

b)    Outside the licensing areas

 

Accreditation is a voluntary scheme. It is a measure of high quality property standards and management.

To monitor the levels of accredited properties and thus levels of “good” standard accommodation.

 

Monitoring numbers inside and outside of licensing areas will allow comparisons

Number of properties non-compliant on first inspection

 

How many properties DO NOT comply with the licence conditions when inspected by officers.

To establish a baseline of standards of property condition and their management.

 

A high number of ‘non-compliance’ would be evidence to justify the Licence schemes.

 

Number of properties non-compliant on first inspection but now compliant

 

How many properties DO NOT comply with the licence conditions at the introduction of the schemes (and 1st inspection)  but have improved to be compliant, as a result of the schemes

To establish the level of improvements that have been made to the levels of property management and conditions.

This will help demonstrate the level of impact the Licence schemes have made to improve private rented sector conditions and management.

Numbers and types of formal action

 

How many statutory notices and Civil Penalties have been served within the 3 licensing areas.

To monitor the level of requirement for formal action by officers, for either not obtaining a licence or a breach of licence conditions.

 

Informal action (warnings) will be issued in the first instance, but if landlords do not act on these, then formal legal action will be followed.

Number of Service Requests received;

a) within the licensing areas

b) outside of the licensing areas

 

Service Requests are complaints received about a property, usually regarding its management or condition. (These requests generally come from Privately Rented tenants.)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4

Meeting: 13/03/2018 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills) (Item 48)

48 Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group Final Report

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 30 (3) of 7 November 2017 the Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance that presented formally the final report of the Housing Licensing Performance Framework Working Group.

 

The Working Group was established with the following Terms of Reference and Objectives:-

 

·       The Council is working toward the introduction of Private Rented Sector Housing Selective Licensing and Additional HMO Licensing schemes in parts of the borough

·       The Selective Licensing Scheme Proposal was taken to Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Skills) in November 2016, for review. The proposal was overwhelmingly supported

·       The Selective Licensing proposal was then taken to Cabinet for formal approval in December 2016, together with approval to undertake the statutory formal public consultation. Cabinet approved the proposal and consultation

·       The Selective Licensing Proposal has since been the subject of a 12 week public consultation, April-June 2017. This included notifying all Councillors of the Selective Licensing proposal and consultation, so they had the opportunity to contribute

·       The results of the consultation, together with a Final Licensing Scheme proposal were taken to Cabinet in September 2017, and approved. The Council is now in the process of preparing the Selective Licensing scheme to go live from March 2018

·       One key piece of work that needs to be done over the coming months is to set up a ‘performance framework’ for the Licensing schemes. This will allow the Council to test, in future, whether the Selective Licensing scheme is having an impact on improving the Licensing Neighbourhoods and private rented accommodation. The performance framework will be submitted to the Cabinet Member – Housing and Communities for approval once it is completed

·       The Council approved a ‘business case’, which set out it’s justification for introducing Licensing schemes. To justify the proposed schemes for Sefton it was argued that Licensing of private rented homes would lead to the better management of these homes, which in turn would help tackle the following issues, which were used as the criteria for our schemes;

-         significant anti-social behaviour.

-         poor property conditions,

-         a high level of deprivation or

-         high levels of crime

·       A Licensing scheme can only remain in operation for a maximum period of 5 years. The Council will need to monitor whether the Licensing schemes are having an impact on the issues/criteria it sought to tackle and improve

·       Toward the end of the 5 year life of its schemes, the Council will need to consider whether it needs to extend the life of its schemes, and if it does, it will need to justify this through a new business case. Almost certainly, the Council would need the evidence that its schemes are having a positive impact on the issues identified. Therefore setting a suitable performance framework will be an essential tool, both to monitor the effects of licensing and to help justify any extension of the life of its schemes, should it wish to do so

·       The Objective is for the Working Group to help  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48