Issue details - Private Rented Sector Discretionary Licensing Scheme: The evidence and next steps

On 13 January 2016 Housing & New Homes Committee delegated authority to the Acting Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing to explore the necessity or otherwise of the introduction of further discretionary licensing in all or part of the local authority area.

Here, ‘discretionary licensing’ means any licensing of residential property under the Housing Act 2004 (the Act) that goes beyond the national mandatory HMO licensing requirements contained in Part 2 of the Act.

This report looks at the impact of the existing licensing schemes in the city and presents the findings of research commissioned to examine if the evidence supports or rejects, the need to implement a discretionary licensing scheme across the whole, or part(s), of the private rented sector in Brighton and Hove.

Based on the evidence a number of options are presented in the report for Member consideration and approval is being sought to consult stakeholders on the preferred option(s).