Shabana Mahmood Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood
Today (5 June) Birmingham City Council have launched their landlord licensing schemes for the private rented sector following years of lobbying from Shabana Mahmood MP.
The selective licensing scheme covers all privately-rented property in the Birmingham Ladywood constituency. The additional licensing scheme for HMOs covers all 69 electoral wards in the city.
Landlords of any property within designated wards will have to secure a licence to privately rent out their property.
Landlords will also have to apply for an additional licence for any HMO that fits the new definition, which covers properties occupied by three or more unrelated people with shared facilities.
The schemes will mean private rented accommodation and HMOs must be of a decent standard before they can be rented out. This should give tenants and landlords confidence that their properties are safe and good quality.
Commenting on the scheme, MP for Birmingham Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood said:
“After years of campaigning I am so pleased to see that the council has finally introduced these new licensing schemes.
“The schemes are another step towards getting a grip on the proliferation of badly managed HMOs in Birmingham.
“While many landlords act responsibly, I’ve long since made the case that there are too many bad landlords who exploit the rules around HMOs which can lead to antisocial behaviour.
“These schemes will protect landlords who play by the rules – charging them less than £13 a month per license – and weed out those who are currently behaving badly. (1)
“These changes will improve life for tenants, and improve accountability of landlords across Birmingham.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- (1) Cost of 5-year additional license is £755, split over 60 months for which the license is valid.