By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
A selective licensing policy aimed at improving the standard of private rented homes in parts of Ashfield has been extended for a further five years.
The policy was first brought in by Ashfield District Council in 2017 to reduce anti-social behaviour and improve both housing standards and property conditions in two areas of Sutton-in-Ashfield.
It currently covers the New Cross and Stanton Hill areas of the town.
The authority approved in principle a decision to extend the scheme in December last year, before launching a consultation period with tenants and landlords in the affected areas.
Now the council has extended the scheme for a further five years and also expanded the area where rented properties need a ‘selective licence’.
A “small number” of streets have been both omitted and added into the scheme under the new boundary changes, which continues to cover the Stanton Hill and New Cross areas.
New areas in Stanton Hill to be covered by the policy include parts of Victoria Street, a small section on the south of Stoneyford Road and all homes in New Lane.
Additional sections of New Cross include homes fronting onto Priestic Road between its junctions with Lime Avenue and Mansfield Road, as well as Bentinck Street, Portland Street and part of Welbeck Street.
Changes to be brought in under the new conditions will see landlords no longer needing to provide the council with their gas safety certificates each year.
Landlords will instead submit the document at application and when issues of disrepair are being investigated.
More “pro-active” support and advice will also be offered to landlords in managing issues or problems in the properties they let, including moving to an online system.
And the authority will offer a £100 discount to landlords in applying for the scheme if they are a member of a landlord-accredited body at the time of their application.
At present, applications for a selective licence costs landlords £350, and this fee will continue for the coming five years.
The policy’s extension was approved by members of the authority’s cabinet on Tuesday (March 29), with councillors welcoming the impact it has already made in Stanton Hill and New Cross.
Councillor David Martin (Ash Ind), portfolio holder for corporate and finance, said: “This is a very important piece of work that was done under the previous [Labour] administration and I give them credit for that.
“It’s about saving people’s lives and making them live in better conditions, it’s not just [protecting against] rogue landlords but rogue tenants and it works both ways.”
Under the previous agreement, 620 licences were issued and three licences were rejected because the owners failed to meet “fit and proper” checks. This led to enforcement action by the council.
The initial scheme led to works being conducted on 338 properties to improve electrical safety, with a further 195 homes receiving measures to address dampness and mould including 83 boiler replacements.
And Cllr Kier Barsby (Ash Ind), portfolio holder for customer services, corporate change and digital transformation, said it is important for the policy to ensure residents don’t live in poorly-managed homes.
He called for the policy to be extended into wider parts of the district, an idea which the meeting heard was something the authority is “quite prepared to do” if appropriate assessments find it is necessary.
Cllr Barsby said: “I’m all for this scheme, it’s one of the best schemes this authority has ever brought forward.
“Reading what residents were living under and in is astounding, I can’t wait for this to go across the whole of this district as these figures are only for the [Stanton Hill and New Cross] areas.”
The item was heard by a reduced number of councillors due to three members of the cabinet declaring an interest in the policy.
Councillors Jason Zadrozny, Helen-Ann Smith and Samantha Deakin left the room for the debate due to land listed on their register of interests.
