Liverpool's landlord licensing scheme would be scrapped
The government announced this week that Liverpool's successful landlord licensing scheme would be scrapped, a shock move that has prompted outrage.
For the past five years, Liverpool Council's pioneering Landlord Licensing scheme has been driving up standards of rental homes in the city, bringing dodgy landlords who leave vulnerable people in danger to book.
The project enjoys cross-party support in the city and has the resounding backing of Merseyside Police and the region's fire and rescue service, who have praised it for keeping people safe in their homes and suggested the scrapping of the scheme will put lives in the city at risk.
The statistics show:
- Since 2015, 70% of inspected properties have been in breach of their licence condition, uncovering serious hazards such as fire, electrical safety and excess cold
- The council has carried out over 37,000 compliance actions, issued more than 2,500 legal and fixed penalty notices and prosecuted almost 250 landlords
- The impact has meant that Liverpool alone has been responsible for 389 per cent of the 460 per cent national rise in prosecutions between 2012 and 2018.