The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health has written to Michael Gove MP saying that the Government needs to make it easier for councils to use selective licensing conditions as a method of housing enforcement.

The CIEH said there is "a disconnect in the legislation whereby local authorities can introduce selective licensing to tackle poor property conditions but cannot include a directly enforceable requirement relating to property condition as a condition of the licence itself".

Ross Matthewman, CIEH Head of Policy went on to say that "the Government should use national landlord registration to support selective licensing. ..... We are unclear though whether it will provide local authorities with the information they need in order to check the suitability of landlords before issuing a licence".

He added that some local authorities are put off setting up selective licensing schemes due to the bureaucracy and expense involved and so the Government should move to reduce these barriers to setting up such licensing schemes.

CIEH's letter reflects recommendations in the A Licence to Rent report [2019] jointly published by the CIEH and the Chartered Institute of Housing.

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