There has been an update to the Liverpool City Council website giving the final information regarding the selective licensing and it states that the license fees will be £400 per property but if you have two or more properties then each additional property will be at the reduced fee of £350. You are able to receive a reduced charge of £200 if the property is a member of the CLASS (Citywide Landlord Accreditation Safety Scheme) but this means that a property must have an electric certificate.
The licence holder must be the person classed as in control of the property. This suggests the managing agent should be the holder, this would mean if you wish to change your agent or manage the property yourself, then you will require a new license.
The conditions of the license require:
• The licence holder must produce, to the Council, an annual gas safety certificate for the premises and must:-
• Keep electrical appliances and furniture let with the property in a safe condition and provide a declaration as to the safety of such appliances and furniture to the Council on application.
• Fit and maintain smoke alarms as necessary
• Issue tenants with a written tenancy agreement that includes terms and conditions regarding nuisance and anti-social behaviour
The application process will be in two parts, the council must have the contact details of the proposed license holder by the 1st April 2015, the council will then contact the license holder during April requesting a payment of £100 and the relevant documentation needed for the license. You will then be required to pay the balance at the end of the year.
For your property to become a member of the CLASS (which is currently free), you will require an electric certificate. Belvoir have negotiated a deal for a certificate to be carried out for £110 but this does not include the cost of any remedial work that maybe required to improve the standards of the electrics to meet current NIC standards. CLASS requirements are:
• The property is free of all category 1 hazards as identified under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• Gas , Electricity Safety, Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting test certificates and Energy Performance certificates where applicable are provided
• The property has an adequate means of escape and detection in case of fire
• The property meets the physical standards set out in the Code and the Landlord complies with the Management Code.
If you decide to sell your property or decide not to rent the property out within the licence period, you will not receive a refund.
If you do not get a licence, then you can fined up to £20,000 and if the licence conditions are breached, then there could be a fine up to £5,000.
For further information, then here are some valuable websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-31542167
http://liverpool.gov.uk/business/private-landlords/licences-and-standards/landlord-licensing/
http://liverpool.gov.uk/media/1081905/frequently-asked-questions-18th-feb-2015final.pdf
