Eight months since its launch, Peterborough City Council’s Selective Licensing Scheme has continued to make significant progress, with over 500 property inspections carried out within the first six weeks of the inspection programme starting.

Across more than 500 properties the inspection programme found over 2,000 issues which included hazards such as “severe damp and mould, missing or faulty smoke detectors, inadequate ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms, the absence of window restrictors and damaged ceiling and wall plaster.” The Selective Licensing team is now working closely with landlords of those properties to resolve the issues found and improve living conditions for tenants in the affected properties.

Over the five-year term of Peterborough’s Selective Licensing scheme each licensed property will be subject to two rounds of inspection programmes carried out by Home Safe in a partnership with Peterborough City Council which is designed to “ensure ongoing compliance with safety and living standards.”

Home Safe Scheme Manager, Mike Brook, says “We’re pleased with the impact the scheme is already having on improving living standards …. we are uncovering serious issues that could otherwise have gone unreported” adding that “noticeable improvements in the safety of many tenants' homes” are now being seen through working closely with landlords to make sure that issues are being resolved in a timely manner.

Cllr. Alison Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Peterborough City Council says “The fact that more than 2,000 issues have already been found demonstrates that there was a clear need for Selective Licensing to be introduced” and that she is “delighted that the Selective Licensing scheme is continuing to make good progress and is already playing a key role in our aim of improving private rental housing in Peterborough, which in turn will help us create strong and sustainable communities.”

Peterborough Council has reminded landlords with properties inside the designated Selective Licensing scheme area but who haven’t yet applied for their property licences that they needed to submit applications as a matter of urgency. Operating an unlicensed rental property within a licensing area can mean a fine of up to £30,000 for the landlord or, if a case goes before a court in a prosecution, the fine can be an unlimited amount. Landlords can also risk being ordered to repay up to 12 months' rent.

Read the release from Peterborough City Council here.