Selective Licensing Scheme Evaluation, re-designated Area Central Bensham

This evaluation report provides the key findings of a five year Selective Landlord Licensing Scheme for the re-designation of Central Bensham.

Gateshead Council has been at the forefront of tackling poor standards in the private rented sector for many years, using Selective Landlord Licensing (SLL) Schemes to proactively address problems within the sector since 2007.

In September 2007, the Council introduced one of the country's first SLL schemes, and there have been eight schemes in total. There are still schemes live in the Avenues when this report was produced. 

The private rented sector in Gateshead plays an important role in the provision of housing within the Borough and has grown significantly over the last decade and continues to grow across the borough. 

At the time of re-designation of Central Bensham in 2018, the data collection confirmed that the area was experiencing a wide range of issues associated with low housing demand, property values, anti-social behaviour and poor property conditions. 

It was considered that implementing the scheme would contribute towards the wider regeneration of the area, as well as improved property management standards. The aim was to raise standards within the private rented sector with a view to improving the overall social and economic conditions in the area to create a stable, strong, healthy and vibrant neighbourhood.

Many landlords in Gateshead operate within the law and offer a significant amount of high-quality accommodation, managed effectively at an affordable price. Within the borough there are concentrations of private rented accommodation (up to 65% in some areas), traditionally in areas of deprivation, where the private rented sector is commonly below standard in terms of property condition and tenancy management.

The Council continues to deal with complaints and demand concerning landlords and properties. In these concentrated areas house and rental prices are lower than average. When properties do come up for sale they may be bought up by landlords because of the low price and lack of demand from owner occupiers. These properties tend to house vulnerable tenants and low-income families who are statistically more likely to be in fuel poverty and are subject to the effects of crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB). 

Problems such as fly tipping and refuse, excessive noise and ASB, poor property conditions and overcrowding are disproportionally linked to private rented accommodation. A wide proportion of tenants are in receipt of housing allowance and their financial circumstances mean that they have a limited choice over the quality of accommodation they can access.

For many tenants, there is the perception that there is little control over living conditions, and subsequently, they are less likely to complain to their landlord or Local Authority.

While many landlords take their responsibility seriously and provide much needed housing within Gateshead, there are also negligent or criminal landlords who exploit vulnerable tenants by letting out cramped, unsuitable and, in some cases, dangerous properties, and fail to manage these tenancies and properties effectively. With this,and the growth of the sector in mind, there is a need to ensure effective management of these properties in concentrated areas to prevent rogue landlord activity, maintain good standards and ensure a thriving sector and well managed stock.

The re-designated area covers a redefined area within an expired licensing scheme within Central Bensham. This area was re-designated to allow continued close working with landlords, residents and tenants where there was a potential likelihood that without the ongoing regulation of licensing, standards are likely to return to pre-licensing practices.

(Figure 10 Map of SLL Area Central Bensham re-designated area)

The licensing area is defined within the red lined area in the figure above. The area consists of 314 dwellings in total. 62% of these properties are privately rented.

Of the remaining tenure, 23% of the properties are owner occupied and 11% of the properties were exempt from the licensing scheme. The remaining 4% were split between empty properties and properties where the licence had been revoked.

Property type

The properties are primarily traditional pre 1919 terraced blocks consisting of ground and first floor flats commonly known as Tyneside Flats. The majority of the properties have rear off-shoot extensions to provide kitchen and bathrooms and small rear yards giving access to rear lanes.

Tenure

The tenure in the area is a mixture of privately rented properties, owner occupiers, and a small proportion of registered housing providers and charitable housing providers. 

Tenure split of properties in re-designation of Central Bensham 

Levels of deprivation 

Central Benham is ranked within the top 30% deprived areas in the country based on the Multiple Index of Deprivation which is a combination of a number of indices that provides an overall score for the relative level of multiple deprivation experienced in every neighbourhood within England. The Selective Landlord Licensing area was ranked in the top 10% most deprived areas in the country, and it is ranked 54th in 2019 out of 317 local authorities. 

Legislative Framework

The Housing Act 2004 (part 3) provides the Council with the enforcement powers to introduce Selective Licensing. The re-designation of Central Bensham was designated under the following criteria:

• low housing demand (or is likely to become such an area) and a significant and persistent problem caused by anti-social behaviour.

Selective Licensing requires that any person wishing to rent out a property in a designated licensing area must first obtain a licence from the Council (subject to a number of exemptions). If order for a licence to be granted the Council must be satisfied that the proposed Licence Holder is a "fit and proper person" and that there are satisfactory management arrangements in place and the property meets all the required standards. 

Selective Licensing is intended to be just one tool available to the Council and it is not a stand-alone solution for every issue affecting a neighbourhood. Therefore, the The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window) requires the Council to identify how Selective Landlord Licensing will work alongside other measures that forms part of an overall strategic approach. 

Alternative courses of action considered

Under Section 81 of the Housing Act 2004 (opens new window) the Council must consider whether there are any other courses of action available to them (of whatever nature) that might provide an effective method of achieving the objectives that the designation of the Selective Licensing Scheme is intended to achieve and must consider that making the designation will significantly assist the Council in achieving the objectives of the scheme.

The overall aim of the designation of a Selective Licensing Scheme is to improve the management of the private rented sector (PRS) to reduce low housing demand and reduce the levels of ASB associated with privately rented properties.

The Private Sector Housing Team have been at the forefront of improving the housing stock across the Borough. The team have been involved in many different interventions to drive up standards and help the neighbourhoods around Bensham thrive. The Council have also worked in partnership with other agencies both internal and external to tackle issues within the area. 

Clearance and new housing development

Prior to Selective Licensing the area had also benefitted from Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Pathfinder funding to assist with problems of low demand, to bring about the sustainable renewal of areas with weak housing markets and to transform neighbourhoods into thriving, cohesive communities, where people will choose to live and stay. 

Furthermore, areas within the scheme and neighbouring streets have been subject to property acquisition, demolition and ongoing property redevelopment. Old and often poorly maintained terraced Tyneside flats, houses and commercial properties are being replaced by new, high-quality housing to provide the mix and balance of housing that is required.

Financial assistance for property improvements

Using the HMR funding properties in Central Bensham benefitted from Area Renewal Assistance via The Block Improvement Scheme (BIS) Programme. The aim of the BIS programme was to improve housing market confidence through improvements to the visual appearance of terraces. In total £10.85 million of funding was used across thirteen phases and the remedial works included:

• new boundary walls with railings
• front step replacement to remedy cracking and uneven paths
• new handrails to steps to match curtilage railings
• garden treatments, introduction of increased greenery
• neutral painting of front elevation stonework
• renewal of front doors, replacement of windows and rainwater pipes

435 properties within the central licensing area participated in the programme, with 259 of these being privately rented. Participants were required to make a 20% contribution to the works and costs and participating landlords were requested to ensure their properties reached and maintained the Gateshead Private Landlord Association Accreditation Standard. Landlords were also provided with financial help towards the cost of meeting this Accreditation Standard; up to 50% of eligible works up to a maximum of £500 within the HMR area.

The private rented property accreditation scheme

The Accreditation Scheme encouraged private landlords to improve properties up to the minimum legal housing standard and above. The Council promotes a number of incentives to encourage landlords to accredit their property, these include:

• a discount from the SLL fee in designated areas
• the provision of a detailed schedule of works to help landlords understand what works were required to bring their property up to the accreditation standard 

There were proposed discounts from the licensing fee of 18% for all properties opting for property accreditation on the Re-designation of Central Bensham.

Landlord engagement 

To aid compliance with the licence conditions within those proposed areas there have been regular training sessions available to landlords and Licence Holders to ensure practical support is provided. At every opportunity landlords are encouraged to utilise the services of a local or nationally recognised landlords' association to facilitate effective tenancy and property management.

Additional members of the wider Safer Gateshead Partnership include a range of public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations. By working together, the partners in Safer Gateshead can have a greater impact on reducing crime, disorder, drug abuse, alcohol-related problems and ASB across the Borough of Gateshead.

Aim of the evaluation

The aim of the report is to present the findings of the selective licensing (SL) scheme within the Re-designation of Central Bensham. The main aim of the scheme was to reduce low housing demand by raising standards within the private rented sector leading to improvements in the overall social and economic conditions in the area to create a strong, healthy and vibrant neighbourhood. It is also considered that the redesignation of selective licensing will assist in the reduction of ASB in the area.

In order to achieve these aims, a number of key outcomes over the period of designation have been identified to:

• reduce the turnover of occupants to create stable communities
• reduce the number of empty properties and the length of time they remain unoccupied
•  reduce levels of ASB linked to tenants in the private rented sector 
• improve private rented property conditions and the number of accredited homes
• improve the management of properties in the area
• increase the number of tenants who manage their tenancy well
• stabilise/increase rental values of private rented properties
• stabilise/increase the value of residential premises
• support the private rented sector in its provision of well managed properties and tenancies and assist those seeking to live and currently living in private rented accommodation. 

It was also considered that the re-designation of Central Bensham (phase 2) would have an overall positive impact on an area that required further intervention. The designation of a smaller redefined area was identified because without continued close working with landlords, residents and tenants, there was the potential for standards to return to pre-licensing practices.

Licence conditions

The mandatory licence conditions are prescribed by schedule 4 of the The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window). The Council has discretion to add additional licence conditions, and these have been categorised to ensure effective management of ASB, property and tenancy management, and managing waste and refuse. The licence conditions were monitored throughout the five years of the designation to ensure compliance. 

Landlord profile

There were 104 Licence Holders within the scheme, and they held 289 licences. The largest portfolio holder held 19 licences in total within the scheme. In contrast, there were 72 Licence Holders that only held a single licence for one property.

The selective licensing scheme commenced in April 2018, and licence holders were encouraged to apply early to benefit from generous early application discounts. There were other discounts available including property accreditation and landlord accreditation. 

Property accreditation

Those landlords who applied for property accreditation were eligible for a discount of £100 from their application fee. There were 90 Licence Holders that applied for property accreditation at the time of application. However, only 56 of those properties met the standard following the subsequent inspection. 

Landlord accreditation

The team worked in partnership with the National Residential Landlords Association (opens new window)  (NRLA - previously the RLA and NLA) to deliver a one-day bespoke accreditation/foundation training course to licence holders. Attendees who then passed the course assessment were expected to remain accredited members with one of the associations for the duration of the licence. All landlords that participated and remained accredited for the duration of the scheme benefitted from a discount of £165 per licence fee.

There were 22 Landlords who applied for landlord accreditation at the time of applying for a licence application. There were 19 accredited licence holders that maintained their competency for the five-year duration of the licensing scheme. 

Tenant meetings

The team carried out 358 tenant meetings throughout the five years of the licensing scheme. Officers worked alongside the tenants to ensure tenancies were set up correctly, bonds were in deposit schemes, the tenants were aware of how to report repairs and anti-social behaviour. Tenants were also given advice on good waste management practices and how to be a good tenant.

Additionally, officers worked with tenants to address concerns where appropriate and refer or signpost tenants to the relevant services. The tenant meetings were carried out at the time of the initial property inspection and any concerns raised by the tenant or identified by the officer were addressed. This included making referrals to the appropriate support agency or service to ensure that all tenants received the correct support or advice.

Furthermore, the team endeavoured to carry out a tenant meeting when the property changed tenancies throughout the length of the scheme so that all tenants received a tenant meeting and were able to receive the relevant support if necessary. 

Inspections to assess property standards

Every property in the Re-designated licensing scheme received a property inspection. This was to ensure properties were free of Category 1 Hazards, as defined in Part 1 of The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window), The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). All licensable properties were ranked in order of compliance and then inspected accordingly. There were 52 properties that were subject to an unannounced property inspection accompanied by Northumbria Police, this stance was taken to all properties that were operating without a licence when the designation commenced. 

There were 158 properties where licence holders had applied for a licence in a timely manner and were operating in accordance with Part 3 of the The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window). These were inspected at a pre-arranged appointment, which was arranged at a time and day to suit the tenant. All applications that were submitted prior to the scheme going live received a £200 discount from the application fee and many Licence Holders benefited from this early application discount. 

There were 90 licence holders who applied for property accreditation at the time of submitting a licence application and were inspected to assess they met both Part 1 of https://www.nrla.org.uk/ (opens new window), The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), as well as the higher accreditation property standard. There were 281 hazards identified during property inspections where standards fell short of the legal requirements. 

Following the property inspection, a schedule of works was provided to the licence holder with a suitable timescale to complete all works. Suitable time frames were allocated to complete remedial works and then there were a further 351 re-inspections carried out to check that works had been completed to a good standard. However, some properties received more than one re-inspection mainly as works were not up to standard on the initial re-inspection. In total, the team 
carried out 520 re-visits to sign off and check works were completed. The team endeavoured to take an informal approach and work with Licence Holders to identify and eradicate hazards. Due to increased timescales and a slow response to complete works some properties received multiple revisits. Enforcement action was used on those cases where hazards remained outstanding after an informal time scale had lapsed or when the hazard was deemed significant that formal action was necessary. 

Disappointingly, there were a further 221 attempted visits where officers failed to gain access. These visits were a combination of both pre-arranged and unannounced inspections. Such visits were then re-arranged, sometimes using Enforcement Notices to access properties which was an additional burden to officers and time scales. 

Selective Licensing Enforcement Policy

The team pledged a commitment to ensure prompt targeting of the evasive and noncompliant landlords as a priority, and as early on in the scheme's lifespan as possible. 
The team also pledged to take a lighter touch throughout the scheme when working with consistently compliant landlords. The following provides information on how this was initially achieved at scheme commencement and thereafter.

Identification of unlicensed properties

During the course of the licensing scheme the turnover of property tenure was continually monitored by colleagues in Council Tax, this was to allow the identification of non-licensed homes that were required to be licensed and were not.

As a result of this auditing five properties were found to be operating without a licence in place mid scheme. Consequently, these landlords were subjected to a full investigation to gather evidence in a fair and robust manner. On completion of an investigation enforcement action was taken in-line with the offence. 

Breaches of licence conditions

Once a licence was issued, the team carried out monitoring checks for any breach of the licence conditions throughout the length of the licensing scheme. Non-compliance with the conditions is identified following different methods including a complaint from a tenant, landlord or resident, breach identified during follow up visits, via the annual review of a licence or by other means during communications with tenants. 

All breaches to licence conditions were investigated thoroughly prior to following the most suitable course of action depending on the severity of the breach. 
51 licence holders and licences were informally breached where non serious, noncompliance with licence conditions have been identified. This totalled 72 individual licence conditions. Common conditions being breached included failure to return the licence annual review, no inventory at tenancy start, not carrying out periodic property inspections and failing to test smoke alarms during property inspections.

Formal action for licence condition breaches

Two financial penalties were issued for serious breaches of licence conditions on one licence holder. This agent passed on the management of their portfolio in the licensing area to an alternative agent due to the outcome of the investigation.

Enforcement notices, non-compliance

Officers from the team have used a variety of different notices to enforce compliance using a range of legislation. These notices have been served on both residents and Licence Holders for non-compliance during the scheme's designation, these include the following:

Reduced annual licence review requests for consistent Returns

Licence Holders that consistently returned their annual reviews in a timely manner have benefited from reduced monitoring after the first year of the licensing scheme. 

This was because licence holders have demonstrated effective compliance during the licensing scheme. This approach of relaxed monitoring of compliant landlords has reduced administration for both the Licence Holders and the Private Sector Housing Team. This has enabled the team to concentrate on the non-compliant licence holders. This approach was not available to licence holders that have been subject to formal action or investigation by the Council.

Annual reviews for landlords with multiple licences have also been requested at the same time to make submitting the information easier.

Less formal approach for follow up for properties with low rating category 2 hazards

Officers from the team have also taken a lighter approach when signing off works following the issue of a schedule of works. Where Category 2 hazards were identified during property inspections, many of these have been followed up without a revisit to the property and on the production of evidence to confirm completion of works for example, photographs, invoices and virtual property visits via Facetime.

This approach was adopted for lower-level Category 2 hazards, and for those licence holders who demonstrated a good track record for completing schedules of work within the given timescale and effective communication with officers in the team. 

Development and introduction of an online platform for licence annual reviews

Further to the success and efficiencies of the online application form, the team have also developed an online platform for the annual review of a licence. Each year we write out to licence holders at around the anniversary of the licence being issued. We request the completion of the annual review form to demonstrate ongoing compliance with licence conditions.

This process has been developed and it can now be completed online, and licence holders are sent the appropriate web link when the review of their licence is due. The team have facilitated training sessions on the correct completion of annual reviews into the training schedule to support those licence holders less familiar with on-line technologies.

Licence holder training sessions

Prior to the COVID pandemic the team delivered seven free training courses which were facilitated in person within the civic centre. The training courses enabled licence holders to maintain and improve competency in housing management and to assist in licence condition compliance. Subject matters covered in the training sessions since the scheme commencement included dealing with, and responding to, ASB, safeguarding, domestic abuse and violence in the private rented sector, modern day slavery and human trafficking.

In response to the COVID pandemic in 2020, the team started to deliver training courses online via Microsoft Teams. The team have delivered 29 training sessions 
throughout the five years of licensing and there have been 22 training sessions delivered on-line. In total there have been 661 attendees/licence holders cumulatively across all sessions. 

The recent free training courses have covered subjects including licence condition monitoring, tenant referencing and vetting service, Licence Holder support in 
completing annual reviews, damp and mould training, unlawful eviction and hoarding. 

The licensing team has endeavoured to provide good quality training to all Licence Holders free of charge and in accordance with all current legislation. The team also delivered a free session by an external provider to enable landlords to identify bypassed electricity and gas meters and to raise awareness to the dangers that this poses to both the tenants and the wider community.

Provision of a tenant vetting/reference service

There was a free tenant vetting service to support Licence Holders comply with their licence conditions and it remained available throughout the five years of the licensing scheme. The vetting service was available to help and support landlords with properties in the selective landlord licensing areas to determine the suitability of future tenants, contributing towards area improvements including the prevention of ASB and crime.

Licence holders were able to undertake their own checks as long as they have robust processes in place, and they are fit for purpose and include details of former housing history as a minimum. 

Licence Holders were previously provided with what is accepted as a satisfactory reference check. There have been 50 vetting checks undertaken in the re-designated area alone, the outcomes have been as follows:

The vetting service available from the licensing team was unique in that it had access to Police data via the partnership with Northumbria Police and Operation Vienna. This information is not available to any other referencing service and enabled Licence Holders to ensure any potential tenants were vetted to determine their suitability. 

The vetting checks were undertaken in short timescales due to the partnership with Operation Vienna and the direct contact with the Police and officers from the 
Gateshead Housing Company. The average time for a decision on tenant suitability was within one working week. 

The licensing team carried out regular audits of tenure change to confirm the movement of tenants within the licensing area. Where our tenant vetting service was not being used, the team continued to contact Licence Holders to ask for evidence of vetting checks and compliance with this licensing condition on change of tenant.

Key outcomes and how they were achieved

Total service requests

The graph above shows the total number of complaints received to the team including property standards, ASB, noise, neighbour issues and disputes. As expected, there was an increase in the number of complaints received on designation of the scheme in 2018, and this is a trend that has been replicated in previous licensing schemes. 

This is predominately because residents renting in the licensing area have met officers from the licensing team during their tenant meeting and property inspection and now know who to complain to. 

In 2019 the number of overall complaints reduced in the second year of the scheme by 61% and this trend has been noted in previous schemes and mainly due to the intense work being carried out in the area. 

The data shows that the overall complaints increased dramatically by 65% which was during the period of the COVID pandemic when the country was subjected to a national lockdown. This increase followed all complaints made to the Private Sector Housing Team across the borough as well as the licensing area. 
The data shows there was a reduction in demand after the pandemic, and this reduced steadily throughout the remainder of the licensing scheme. Disappointingly, since the scheme has finished the demand on the team has increased by 63%. This increase in demand shows there are still instabilities within the area as the demand is still significant post licensing scheme. 

Service requests - housing standards and property disrepair

The graph above shows the number of complaints received to the licensing team regarding disrepair and property standards throughout the five years of the licensing scheme. As expected, the number of complaints received by the team reduced significantly by 50% as property standards were being improved through the programmed inspection regime. 

The complaints received to the team remained lower than pre-scheme figures until 2021 when there was an increase of 47% on the demand regarding property standards within the private rented sector. This increase was attributed to landlords only responding to emergency repairs during the Covid national lockdown and routine maintenance was not addressed in the usual timescales. However, it is disappointing that after five years of licensing there is still a significant demand on the team regarding complaints about property standards from tenants in their rental properties. The rate of complaints received to the team post scheme is at 43%. 

Service requests - noise

The graph below includes noise complaints received from house alarms, barking dogs, people noise, music/television, and parties. As expected, there was an increase in noise complaints made to the team on designation of the scheme in 2013. This trend was replicated in previous schemes as occupants know who to complain to as they have met the licensing team during their tenant meeting and property inspection. 

Within 2019, the second year of the scheme the rate of complaints reduced by 62% to approximately pre-scheme complaints. 

However, there was a significant increase in complaints during the national lockdown in 2020, and this was expected as residents had to remain in their homes. The increase in complaints was exacerbated during this time especially between ground and first floor Tyneside Flats due to the transfer of noise. It is noted that post-licensing scheme complaints are still 20% greater than noise complaints pre-licensing scheme. 

This indicates that there are still noise related issues within the area and the residents are still engaging with the licensing team for support.

Service requests - Anti-Social Behaviour

The graph above includes all anti-social behaviour complaints received from shouting and swearing, drunken behaviour, fighting and arguments within properties, drug use, sale of drugs from properties, properties being used as brothels and fly tipping. The data shows this trend was noted on previous licensing schemes and that complaints increased in the designated area following property inspections and tenant meetings. 

This is mainly as the tenants are confident to make complaints after having their tenant meeting and are aware that certain behaviours should not be tolerated within their neighbourhood. 

As with previous data sets within this scheme, the complaints reduced in 2019 in the second year of the scheme. However, there was a vast increase on the demand following the Covid national lockdown and this was noted across the borough. The number of complaints increased by 50% in 2020 from the 2018 figures when the scheme was designated. Interestingly, there was a 77% reduction in the number of complaints in 2021 following the lifting of the restrictions and the licensing team were very visible again in the area. The data reflects this, and the complaints remained relatively low for the remainder of the scheme. 

However, the number of complaints post-licensing scheme has risen by 71% from the previous year's figures, and this suggests that there is still the demand from the residents and occupants in the area regarding ASB complaints. 

During the re-designation of Central Bensham the team have worked closely in partnership with Operation Vienna. The effectiveness of the partnership was improved as Northumbria Police were co-located with the Private Sector Housing Team and this increases the effectiveness of the partnership from scheme implementation but mainly responding to criminality and anti-social behaviour. 

During this time there has been a vast amount of partnership working to address ASB and reduce criminality within the area. 

• Two campaigns within the re-designated area concentrating specifically on ASB and have resulted in enforcement action being taken against residents.
• Eviction of two tenants from Saltwell Place known to be the perpetrators of recurrent ASB.
• The service of four Community Protection Warnings on tenants for different behaviours all associated with ASB.
• An increase by the Police in the use of enforcement powers in place available to deal with ASB and criminality. 
• Accompanying Licence Holders to property visits to communicate with difficult tenants or situations resulting in behaviour moderation. 
• A number of joint meetings with Licence Holders, residents and tenants in relation to specific issues.
• Joint interviewing of offenders under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (opens new window).
• Cannabis drying house identified and raided.
• Three properties raided for the sale of illicit substances, arrests made and dealt with through the criminal justice system. 
• More than 600 Police checks carried out on applicants, residents, and tenants to ensure conformance with scheme requirements.
• The regular presence of licensing officers and Police officers working in tandem has increased community confidence.
• Investigations and action taken in a more timely and robust manner to reduce the impact of ASB on the community.
• Increased number and regular multi agency meetings between the team, housing providers and external partners. 
• Closer monitoring of known offenders living in the area. 
• Joint working with trading standards and Operation Vienna to target other criminal behaviour affecting Bensham including illegal motorbikes and illegal tobacco sales

The bar chart above shows the rate of ASB reported to the Police per 1,000 dwellings covering the licensing area, the rest of Gateshead and England and Wales. The data shows prior to the commencement of the licensing scheme in the re-designated area, the rate of ASB was substantially higher than the Gateshead average and England and Wales. The rate of ASB reported to the Police significantly reduced over 2019 to 2020 and actually fell lower than the rate recorded for the rest of Gateshead. During this period there was an increased presence of Police officers in the area due to the intense work being carried out with the Private Sector Housing Team and the Police and officers from the licensing team were conducting joint visits, this could have instilled some confidence in the area during this time. 

It is acknowledged that the figures shows there was a rise in ASB reported to the Police throughout the COVID pandemic and throughout periods of national lockdown over 2020 to 2021. This trend was replicated throughout the country as well as in Gateshead, this was mainly due to individual tolerance levels being affected as most occupants were expected to remain within their homes. It is notable that during these periods of national lockdown complaints received were greater in Gateshead than in the licensing area. This would suggest the occupants had a greater tolerance level than in other parts of the borough. 

The rates of ASB being reported to the Police levelled off in the last 12 months of the licensing scheme, but the figures returned greater than the Gateshead average and the rest of the country. Although it is noted that ASB being reported to the Police reduced after the lifting of lockdown restrictions the rates remained higher than the Gateshead average per 1,000 dwellings.

The bar chart shows the rate of crime per 1,000 dwellings for the licensing scheme in Central Bensham (re-designated area) throughout the five years of the licensing scheme. The data shows that there was a slight reduction in crime within Central Bensham when licensing was designated in 2018. There was a reduction in crime rates due to the national lockdown as more tenants and occupants were at home during 2020. However, since the lifting of the COVID restrictions it is noticeable that the rate of crime reported to the Police is still significantly greater. This rate could also be increased as during this period officers from the licensing team encouraged tenants to report incidences of crime to the Police. The data for 2022 to 2023 shows a significant reduction in the reporting of crime to the police.

This could be because the residents are not reporting crime to the police and also because the scheme has ended the team are not actively encouraging residents to report crime. 

It is noted that crime rates have increased nationally since 2016, and this is when the method of reporting crime changed - now any incident reported to the Police which indicates a crime has occurred will be recorded as a crime prior to deployment of an officer. Following an investigation, a decision will be made to determine whether a crime has occurred, so this can skew the data that is available at any given time. Furthermore, these results could be anecdotal, and that crime is actually being under reported to the Police as this is an area of concern to both the Council and Police.

The Team was delighted in October 2019 when the positive work of the partnership was recognised, and the team were shortlisted for a Pride in Policing Award within Northumbria Police. In recognition of the on-going positive work a further nomination was received for 2022 for the partnership between Operation Vienna and the Licensing Team within Private Sector Housing.

Empty properties

It is normally considered that 4% of the stock being empty is a healthy sign within the housing market to allow for a changing population and demand within the area. The rate of empty properties in the re-designated area of Central Bensham in 2023 in still higher than the average for the rest of the borough. However, the empty property rate is now 6.3% and this is the lowest rate since the original data was collated for the redesignation of Central Bensham. 

The long-term empty property rate (more than six months) is double the rate of Gateshead average. Although, the data shows the rate is still lower then when the 
scheme was redesignated in 2017. These figures are characteristic with the current housing market and a growth in the private rented sector, which has seen an annual percentage change of 1.6% in September 2023 and the Northeast benefited from the highest annual price increase within the housing stock. This trend has supported a healthy market force, and this has reduced the number of empty properties, which in turn has seen a significant rise in rental income across the country.

Tenure changes

The graph above shows the percentage of properties changing hands one or more times in a year in Central Bensham, this has reduced from 19% to 12% since the scheme was re-designated. This reduction is closer to the Gateshead average of 9% of properties changing hands within the private rented sector over a 12-month period. 

The turnover of tenancies in the re-designated licensing area is at the lowest rate at the end of the scheme in 2023.

Equivalently, over the same period of time there has been a significant reduction in the percentage of properties changing hands 2 or more times. Since 2019, within Central Bensham there has been a significant reduction in the percentage of properties that have changed hands twice within the same year. The graph above shows the rate is still higher than the rest of Gateshead, but the percentage has reduced by half in consideration to pre-licensing data.

As expected, tenants moved less frequently during the 2020 Covid national lockdowns but the figures for Central Bensham the figures show there is now less than 4% of properties changing hands two or more times and the rate is at the lowest level throughout the designation.

Waste campaign March to October 2018

During the waste campaign the team reminded the residents of their responsibility for their part in managing waste in the neighbourhood, preventing accumulations of waste in their yards, looking after their bin, accessing recycling advice and participating in the recycling service available. The aim was we wanted to bring these services to people so that they are easy to access, and we want to take action against those that wilfully disregard advice and continue to cause problems.

Between March and October 2018 licensing officers, working alongside colleagues from the Environmental Enforcement Team (EET) visited every home in the licensing area. Licensing officers visited the private rented homes and colleagues from EET visited owner occupiers and other tenure homes. During these visits waste issues were identified, advice provided, bins labelled and Council services to resolve the problem were accessed. When required, formal action to deal with waste issues was undertaken as and when necessary.

Community engagement - summer 2020

Following the first lifting of the COVID lockdown restrictions in the Summer of 2020 all properties in the redesignated area were visited by officers and doorstep discussions undertaken with tenants and residents. Coronavirus had such an unprecedented impact on all our lives with many people experiencing job losses, furlough, separation from friends and family, social isolation as well as financial hardship. Therefore, the primary purpose of the campaign was to make face to face contact with residents within the licensing area to see if there were any personal issues that had arisen due to impact of the Coronavirus that we could help with directly, or alternatively 'signpost' to other agencies that could offer support. This included putting people in contact with local foodbanks or support hubs, facilitating discussions with landlords about managing arrears and referring to financial or debt support services.

In addition, the visits also provided an opportunity for us to remind residents that they were living in a designated selective licensing area and the obligations that this placed on them. We took the opportunity to re-connect with tenants to discuss their tenancies, repairs needed in their properties, community related issues, including waste accumulations or even neighbourly disputes which had increased as a result of COVID lockdowns.

During the visit, licensing officers visually inspected the exterior of each licensable property which included the condition of roofs, brick and stonework, windows and doors, paintwork, guttering and the appearance of yards and gardens. Following the inspection, both residents and licence holders (if appropriate) were given a small amount of time to put right any problems that had been identified.

To provide some  incentive, residents were advised that a £50 shopping voucher was to be awarded for the most improved property, yard or garden area. Licence holders were provided with a full summary of the campaign and its outcomes at the beginning of 2021.

Targeted waste campaign - Saltwell Street and Whitehall Road

The rear lane that separates Saltwell Street and Whitehall Road has been of specific concern due to large accumulations of waste and persistent fly tipping. The lane is regularly cleansed and cleared by colleagues in Street Scene Services to try and maintain the area. However, there has still been persistent waste issues and accumulations deposited onto the lane on a weekly basis. Licensing officers regularly find an abundance of fly tipping or large items, strewn rubbish and rubble as well as abandoned and overflowing bins on a weekly basis on the rear lane that divides Saltwell Street and Whitehall Road. Furthermore, there has also been several incidences of arson and bin fires down this particular lane.

Due to these persistent issues the team took the decision to pilot a new approach to combat waste and fly tipping in July 2021, and thereafter. The waste pilot intervention involved serving a Community Protection Warning (CPW) to every household of Saltwell Street (odds 1 to 47) and Whitehall Road (evens 340 to 276). This was served to all households that back onto the rear lane as the team were not entirely sure who was responsible for the fly tipping incidences. The CPW set out the behaviour that was causing the problem and the action that was required to help address these issues. The CPW provides an enforcement tool, which is available to the Council under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. If the warning is not complied with then any residents found to be breaching the terms of the CPW will be served a Community Protection Notice (CPN). Failing to comply with a CPN will result in formal action including a fixed penalty fine or a prosecution.

There has been a significant improvement to the rear lane separating Saltwell Street and Whitehall Road, since the service of the CPW. However, there has still been accumulations of waste deposited from time to time, which is disappointing for the team and the local community. Unfortunately, the person/s responsible for the waste have not been identifiable which means the team have not been able to take further action on those responsible. Officers have tried to engage with residents when investigating fly tipping and waste accumulations but with limited success. The licensing team remain committed to tackling fly tipping and will progress enforcement action to any persons found responsible for such behaviours.

December 2022 - tenant support campaign

The cost-of-living crisis has had a significant impact on households across the United Kingdom. Some tenants within Gateshead's private rented sector have suffered financially and as a result have had to prioritise their finances. This has had a significant impact on households within the licensing areas. In response, the licensing team conducted a proactive tenant support campaign in partnership with Northumbria Police and the Citizens Advice Bureau. 30 The team carried out welfare visits to all properties within the re-designated licensing area to engage with the occupants.

The team attempted to speak to all tenants on their doorstep, to offer advice and support during these challenging times. The Council were accompanied by two officers from the Citizens Advice Bureau who are specifically trained on a number of different issues including debt and money advice, benefit entitlement, fuel poverty, and access to food parcels.

In response to information provided from tenants, there were referrals made, some issues were addressed during the doorstep visit but more specialised support was offered in the following weeks. The team also distributed a leaflet to all households providing information and access to support to many other different organisations such as: Talking Therapies, National Debt line, Age UK, Salvation Army, as well as support to access hot meals or food banks. Furthermore, there was a list provided detailing times and days that tenants can access warm spaces in and around the Bensham area in response to rising energy prices.

Housing support fund

The Household Support Fund Scheme is a government scheme funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Each local council decides how to use the fund in their local area. The fund consisted of a one-off payment to help residents who were struggling to afford household essentials including energy bills, food, and wider essentials. Officers in private sector housing secured a housing support fund for 20 individual households in the Re-Designated area.

Responses to questionnaires

A survey was sent to all Licence Holders and residents seeking their views on the impact of the Selective Landlord Licensing Scheme over the last five years whilst the scheme was designated. The uptake of responses was much greater from the residents including owner occupiers and tenants within the private rented sector as opposed to the response from landlords/licence holders which was relatively low. The consultation exercise highlighted a noticeable difference between the views of landlords and residents. Residents living in the area were far more in agreement that the properties and neighbourhood had improved and that specific problems had been targeted and improved achieved since the introduction of licensing, as opposed to the feedback from Licence Holders and landlords.

The licensing team have tried to work in partnership with all the residents regardless of tenure, landlords and licence holders to drive up standards and improve the neighbourhood. During the course of the designation the team have taken a proactive approach to meet the licensing objectives through effective engagements with all partners. 

Resident response

On analysis of the data collected it was noted that 24% of the respondents were unaware of the licensing scheme but provided their feedback anyway from the 
questions within the survey. 56% of the respondents were from the private rented sector residing in licensable properties. 36% were owner occupiers and the remaining 8% were in accommodation under the management of social landlords and were exempt from the licensing scheme. The pie chart below shows the breakdown of years that residents had resided in the area.

The breakdown of resident satisfaction with the local area revealed that 60% were satisfied with the local area. The respondents had differing priorities when stating what they felt was important to them. The survey asked what in their local community would the occupants most like to see improved. The split of area improvements was divided, but the highest recorded was that 23 residents all stated that clean streets were their main priority to improve the area. 13 residents stated that the roads and pavements were in need of repair and 12 residents stated the levels of ASB and crime in the area should be improved. The remaining choices were split, and the results are detailed below:

Tenant's views on improvements and property standards

The pie chart below shows the survey confirmed that 75% of tenants had improvements carried out at their properties following a visit from the licensing team.
This would suggest that tenants were living with inadequate property standards within their properties and improvements were necessary to bring tenants properties up to the required housing standard.

It was disappointing that from those tenants within the private rented sector only 50% had repairs carried out within a reasonable time scale. The remaining 50% remarked that repairs to their property were carried out eventually, this would suggest that not all of the landlords are proactive in terms of ensuring repairs are completed in a timely manner.

Residents views on ASB

The pie chart below shows the residents perception of improvements to ASB throughout the course of the licensing scheme. The data shows that 44% of the residents felt that ASB had been addressed fairly successfully. It is noted that 20% of the participants did not answer the question on the survey, this could suggest that these occupants have not had issues with ASB during the length of the scheme. 

Current position views of the residents

The residents agreed by 76% that there should be continued support from the council following the end of the designation and 36% of those occupants stated they would like the licensing scheme to continue. This suggests that the residents felt that the area benefited from the intense close working that was achieved during the designation. The data also confirms only 12% of the local residents felt the support of the council can be withdrawn now the designation had ended.

Licence holder / landlord responses

Disappointingly, only 9% of licence holders responded to the questionnaire and provided their feedback. This has meant that it was difficult to easily quantify a 
response from the surveys. The data collected shows that 56% of all licence holders were satisfied with the local area at the end of the licensing scheme.

Property condition

The pie chart below shows that 67% of licence holders felt their property/ies were in very good condition and 33% were in a good condition. Unfortunately, as there was such a small percentage of respondents it is difficult to evaluate the data provided.

However, there were 280 hazards identified during the property inspections so this would suggest that a good proportion of the property conditions were substandard.

Current position views of the licence holder

The licence holders agreed by 56% that there should be continued support from the council following the end of the designation and 11% of the respondents stated they would like the licensing scheme to continue. Conversely, 11% of the respondents felt that support from the council should be withdrawn.

At the time of designation in 2018, the data collection confirmed that the area was experiencing a wide range of issues associated with low housing demand, property values, ASB and poor property conditions. It was considered that the implementation of the scheme could contribute towards the wider regeneration of the area, as well as improved property management standards.

The aim was to raise standards within the private rented sector with a view to improving the overall social and economic conditions in the area to create a stable, strong, healthy and vibrant neighbourhood.

The evidence and data gathered confirms that there have been substantial and notable improvements in the area, whilst the scheme was under designation. 

Post scheme data confirms that the tenants are still reporting ASB and property standards to the licensing team and this has continued consistently since the end of scheme designation. This would suggest that there are still on-going issues within the area and the demand from the residents remains significant. Such demand shows that property standards and management practices could slip to pre-licensing standards without ongoing regulation.

The number of complaints and support to the area could be due to poor management practices, which can have a detrimental affect on the neighbourhood and surrounding area.

Furthermore, the data suggests that there is an under reporting to the Police in terms of crime within the area. These results could be anecdotal, and that crime is being under reported to the Police, all other factors indicate that the area is in threat of returning to pre licencing figures without further any further intervention. 

Throughout the licensing scheme, the team have used the regulatory framework to address non-compliance and improved property conditions. This has been 
predominantly achieved by the close level of scrutiny that is afforded by selective licensing schemes. This level of monitoring and intense working arrangement cannot be maintained without a designated licensing area as there are not the resources to deliver such an intervention as selective licensing.