Government Blocks Licensing Scheme

The government has blocked Stoke on Trent city council from rolling out selective licensing that would have affected some 3000 rental homes.

Under the scheme every private landlord within each of the 14 designated zones covering 154 streets would need to buy a £500, five year licence for every property they rent out. The council claimed that selective licensing would have helped it tackle poor housing conditions and management practices.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has turned down the application, saying it did not meet the 'statutory criteria'.

The plans had been opposed by a number of landlords claiming it would create an additional burden for 'good' landlords, while doing little to address the real problems facing the sector.

The MHCLG has not confirmed the exact reason why the application was turned down.

A council spokesperson said:

"We can confirm we have received notification from the government department on this. We are in dialogue with the department about the decision."

The city council cannot appeal against the MHCLG's decision but is free to apply again.