PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Private Rented Housing: Enfield (1 February 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on processing the application made by Enfield Council in February 2020 seeking approval to implement a Selective Licensing Scheme for the private rented sector in the borough.

Asked by:
Feryal Clark (Labour)

Enfield submitted their application for a Selective Licensing scheme in February 2020 and a SoS decision has not been made on their application. Officials have reviewed the Enfield application and recommended that the application is approved. Enfield have chased the status of their application on a number of occasions.

We have also received a number of MSUs and press queries regarding Enfield's selective licensing application. Prior to COVID-19 we aimed for an 8 week turnaround between receiving the application and notifying the LA of the decision. This is not a statutory time limit but is in the non-statutory guidance. Resourcing pressures as a result of COVID-19 have meant this has not been achievable.

A local housing authority may designate a selective licensing scheme on any one or more of the following conditions, housing demand; a significant and persistent problem caused by anti-social behaviour; poor housing conditions; high levels of migration; high level of deprivation; and high levels of crime.

Since 2015 any selective licensing designation - whether singularly or cumulatively with other designations - which covers more than 20 per cent of the private rented stock in the local housing authority area or more than 20 per cent of their geographical area requires confirmation by the Secretary of State before it can be brought into force. 

The Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government makes the final decision on selective licensing applications.

Answered by:
Christopher Pincher (Independent)
9 February 2021