Brent Council in London has opened a public consultation on plans to designate a new, phased, selective licensing scheme covering the private rented sector across 21 wards in the borough. Phase 1 will cover 3 wards and, if approved, is set to commence in June or July 2023. The second and larger phase covering 18 wards will require Secretary of State approval and if that approval is granted then the estimate is that it will commence in late 2023 or early 2024.

The council says that phase 1 is being designated due to anti social behaviour and poor property conditions whilst the ground relied on for phase 2 is poor property conditions alone. The phased introduction of the new scheme will "allow the council to scale up resources to administer and enforce a larger designation".

The private rented sector in Brent has expanded in the last 11 years from 32% of total housing tenure to 46% (with the percentages of both owner occupation and social renting both sinking to match the increase in the PRS) and the council estimates that at least 10,000 PRS properties in the borough have at least 1 category 1 hazard - around 18% of the PRS stock.

The consultation and its supporting documentation can be accessed here as can council contact details where a paper version of the consultation survey form can be requested. The consultation will close on 23 January 2023.