Lewisham pushes ahead with plans for new landlord licensing scheme

• Proposals for a new landlord licensing scheme in Lewisham were approved at a meeting of Mayor and Cabinet on Wednesday evening.
• The plans will now be submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for approval.
• If approved, the scheme will protect an extra 20,000 households.

Plans to introduce a new landlord licensing scheme for private rented properties in Lewisham have taken an important step forward, after receiving approval from the Council’s Mayor and Cabinet.

The scheme aims to improve the quality and management of privately rented accommodation in the borough, helping to ensure safe and secure housing for private renters. More than 1 in 4 households in Lewisham rent privately, according to the Office for National Statistics.

If the proposed scheme is approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), it would cover an additional 20,000 properties in the borough. Nearly all privately rented properties in Lewisham not currently covered by the existing licensing schemes for Houses of Multiple Occupations (HMOs) would need a licence under the new scheme.

In order to obtain a licence, properties would need to meet minimum health and safety standards and landlords who fail to fulfil their statutory responsibilities, such as carrying out repairs in a timely fashion, would be subject to enforcement action from the Council.

Cllr Sophie Davis, Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness, said: "Everybody deserves a safe place to call home and currently far too many private renters have to put up with homes which are not fit for purpose. Our new licensing scheme will help to improve conditions for private renters in Lewisham and ensure that the small minority of landlords who fail to carry out their responsibilities face action. I am pleased that we are continuing to take bold action to stand up for private renters and tackle the housing crisis facing Lewisham.”

The new licensing scheme is subject to approval from DLUHC. Once approval has been received, work will begin on the implementation of the scheme and a statutory three-month notice will be published prior to the scheme coming into effect. The Council will work closely with landlords and tenants in the borough to ensure they are aware of the their responsibilities and rights under the new licensing scheme.

ENDS