Landlords are you aware of the proposed Enfield Council Licensing Scheme?

26th January 2020

Landlords are you aware of the proposed Enfield Council Licensing Scheme?

Renting a property from a private landlord is now the most common housing choice for Londoners. The huge growth of the private rented sector means it is now more professional and regulated than ever before. One aspect of government regulation which affects many London landlords is selective licensing, which became an option for local authorities in 2006 after the Housing Act 2004 was amended. Last year Enfield Council held open consultations with tenants and Landlords that closed in November 2019 and we expect to see new licensing come into force, in 14 Enfield wards, by as early as summer 2020.

For Landords it’s important to remain up to date with your licensing obligations. Moreover, it’s important to remember that if your property is unlicensed when it shouldn’t be, you can’t legally issue a Section 21 notice to regain possession. Landlords who don’t comply with licensing could be prosecuted by their local authority. This could include an unlimited fine alongside court costs and a victim surcharge or a £30,000 civil penalty. If Enfield Council do implement their new proposals and you are unsure on how to manage the licensing process for your property, our experienced team at Anthony Webb in Plamers Green are on hand to offer relevant guidance with your licensing requirements and subsequently help you stay on the right side of law while providing safe and secure housing for your tenants. 

'New proposed plans from Enfield Council could see all types of private rented properties requiring a licence in 2020'

Existing licensing in place in Enfield
Mandatory HMO Licensing
Costs for an HMO licence can vary depending on the number of rooms in your property

Mandatory licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) is already in place in Enfield as it is national legislation

• Mandatory licensing applies to larger HMOs that are occupied by five or more people forming two or more households, who share facilities (kitchen, bath room and/or toilet)

Proposed new licensing for all other rental properties 

New Additional Licensing
Licences will issued be for up to 5 years (licence non-transferable) Cost £900 

An additional (HMO) licensing designation may be made if a local authority considers that a significant proportion of HMOs in the area are being managed ineffectively.

Additional licensing applies to where the entire house or flat is let to fewer than 5 people in two or more households who share facilities (kitchen, bathroom and/or toilet).
Examples of an HMO include:

• House split into separate bedsits
• Shared house or flat, where the sharers are not members of the same family
• Hostel 
• Bed and breakfast used for long term accommodation 
• Shared accommodation for students (not owned by educational establishments)

New Selective Licensing
Licences will issued be for up to 5 years (licence non-transferable) Cost £600

Selective licensing applies to single family dwellings.

A selective licensing designation may be made if a local authority considers that an area is experiencing one or more of the following:

• A significant and persistent problem caused by ASB
• Poor property conditions
• High levels of deprivation
• Low housing demand
• High levels of migration
• High levels of crime

The 14 Enfield wards affected by the proposed scheme are:
Bowes 
Chase 
Edmonton Green 
Enfield Highway 
Enfield Lock
Haselbury
Jubilee
Lower Edmonton 
Palmers Green
Ponders End
Southbury
Southgate Green 
Turkey Street
Upper Edmonton