Wirral Council is introducing a Selective Licensing Scheme aiming to radically improve living standards in four parts of the borough. The scheme will require landlords who privately rent out properties in the areas to obtain a licence from the Council.
The scheme will come into effect on 1st July and will last for five years.
To obtain a licence, landlords will need to show basic safety checks have been carried out and they have appropriate management arrangements in place. For landlords and agents who apply for a licence between 1st July and 30th September 2015 there will be a discount to the licence fee.
It is a criminal offence to let a privately rented property in a designated area without a licence, or fail to comply with any of the conditions of the licence. Failing to apply for a licence or failure to meet licence conditions could lead to a fine of up to £20,000.
Obtaining a licence is a 2 part application process:
Part 1 will need to be completed before the Selective Licensing designation comes into force in Wirral on 1st July 2015.
Part 2 is an application form that will need to be completed for each property before 30th September 2015.
For more information, please visit the Council website.
