The River Streets area of Chopwell
Selective Licensing gives the council the power to make landlords accountable for the management of their properties and tenants in areas that suffer from the problems of low-demand housing and anti-social behaviour.
The River Streets of Chopwell is a Selective Licensing area and landlords must have a licence to rent property there.
Why the Rivers Streets area?
The River Streets was designated a Selective Licensing area because it suffered from problems including:
• Poor management of privately managed properties by some landlords.
• A large number of empty properties.
• Low property values when compared with the rest of Gateshead.
• An increase in short-term tenancies.
• High levels of anti-social behaviour and crime.
• High levels of poor property maintenance.
• High levels of complaints relating to environmental issues.
I own a property in this area - what do I need to do?
Selective Licensing requires private landlords to obtain a licence to rent out their property.
If you’re a landlord in this area, you need to complete an application form and meet certain criteria in order to obtain your licence. The licence requires you to be 'fit and proper' and have no criminal convictions that may affect your management of the property(ies).
You will also have to demonstrate you have satisfactory management and financial arrangements and adequate procedures for dealing with problem tenants in place.
You can download an application and guidance notes below. It should be returned with the relevant supporting information to the Private Rented Sector team (details below).
How long do licences last?
A licence will normally last for five years but, in certain circumstances, can be granted for a shorter period. Licences are not transferable.
How much will a licence cost?
Please see the current fees list below.
Fees have been determined in line with the costs that the council is likely to incur in relation to the development, implementation and delivery of the scheme.
Discounts have been included for landlords who have demonstrated their commitment to the private rented sector by either becoming members of the Gateshead Private Landlords’ Association (GPLA) or another nationally recognised body, and/or attaining the Gateshead Accreditation standard. Accreditation Assistance Grants may be available to help landlords gain accreditation status.
The fee must be paid at the time of the application. If you sell the property(ies) the licence is not transferable and no repayment of the licence fee will be given for any unexpired period.
What if the council makes a decision that I feel is unfair?
We would ask that you contact us initially so that we can explain the reasons for our decision and hopefully resolve the problem. If, however, you feel the council has acted unfairly by failing to grant, by revoking or by imposing certain sanctions on your licence, you can appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal (RPT).
The RPT is an expert independent tribunal that will act instead of the County Court to either overturn or confirm the council’s decision. The RPT cannot award costs unless it is found that one party acted unreasonably.
How is the scheme monitored?
Once all landlords within the area are licensed, the scheme will be regularly monitored. The Private Rented Sector Team will work closely with landlords and tenants to maintain the standards within the area and ensure that licence conditions continue to be met.
Where a licence holder wishes to alter the terms of their licence, for example, where there is a change in management details, an application for a Variation to the Licence must be made. You can download this form below.
You can find out more about Selective Licensing in Chopwell using the guides below.