The government has barred a London council from
introducing a borough-wide licensing scheme for private landlords. Communities
Secretary Greg Clark has turned down Redbridge Council’s application to bring
in a borough-wide licensing scheme to tackle poor landlords and anti-social
behaviour. The minister declined the application because it did not provide
evidence of significant and persistent anti-social behaviour across the borough
as a whole, as required under the Housing Act 2008. Redbridge’s scheme, which
was consulted on last November, would have required all private landlords in
the borough to pay £500 for a five-year license. The council is now considering
whether to consult on a smaller scheme. Read more on the East London Guardian
website.
