Where Selective Licensing is concerned it’s a true to say that strong opinions are held, either for or against, by different stakeholders in an area that has been designated for a Selective Licensing scheme. Landlords often (but not always) seem to fall into the “against” camp.

A landlord in Scunthorpe has been fined for a second time by North Lincolnshire Council.

In 2019 an independent review carried out for the Government concluded that Selective Licensing is an effective tool for use by Local Authorities in dealing with private rented sector housing problems in their areas. But, and certainly in the current pandemic related financial situation, can partnership working be an improvement on the current way of working for Local Authorities that decide to use the Selective Licensing tool available to them?

The Local Government Association has published a case study from Gateshead Council showing how the council is supporting people with debt and financial problems in its area.

Estate Agent Hamptons warns of financial pressures involving cost of living increases for private tenants.

The Levelling Up, Housing & Communities select committee, made up of backbench MPs, has said that [buy to let] "landlords are no more to blame than other leaseholders for historic .... safety defects"

Walsall Borough Council have started a public consultation on a new proposed additional licensing scheme covering 5 wards in the town.

In a 2nd February 2022 decision by the Upper Tier Tribunal (Lands Chamber) in Global 100 Ltd v Jimenez & Ors the tribunal dismissed an appeal by Global 100 Ltd against the First Tier Tribunal decision that an empty office building occupied by Property Guardians was an unlicensed HMO and subject to a £6,251.85 rent repayment order.

On top of other forces causing a squeeze on household incomes this year the conflict in Ukraine, according to a new report by the Resolution Foundation think tank, could cause a further £1000 drop in non-pensioner household income this year as compared with 2020/2021.

Minster for Rough Sleeping and Housing, Eddie Hughes MP, has written to english Local Authority leaders about the rough sleeping "snapshot" carried out annually by the Govt.