|
16 November 2023 10am in-person session
We are holding an in-person landlord forum on 16 November 2023 in the Assembly Room, Oxford Town Hall at 10.00am.
You must book your place in advance, as capacity is limited, using the Eventbrite link below. If you do not book in advance, then we cannot guarantee you a space.
Please arrive from 9.45am for a 10am start, refreshments will be available. The session will cover:
1. An update about selective and HMO licensing schemes.
2. Energy Efficiency in Private Rented Homes.
Sign up via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/oxford-city-council-landlord-agent-forum-16th-nov-2023-in-person-session-tickets-703302415457?aff=oddtdtcreator
The presentations will be available on our website soon after the event. There will be no recording available.
If you are from a letting agency, then we would appreciate if you only book one space.
|
|
Private Rented Sector Regulation Policies - CONSULTATION |
|
|
At the meeting on the 13th September 2023, Cabinet approved a short consultation exercise for a number of draft policies in relation to the regulation of private rented properties. The consultation and links to the draft policies can be found on our website https://consultation.oxford.gov.uk/. The draft policies relate to:
- Fit and Proper Persons
- Banning Orders & Rogue Landlords Database entry
- Financial penalties in relation to residential enforcement
Following the update of the Corporate Enforcement Policy in June 2023, these policies have been reviewed. The policies are used to assist the Council when making decisions in relation to private rented sector enforcement.
The consultation exercise ends on 11th October 2023 and we would welcome any feedback concerning the policies before they are finally agreed by the Cabinet at a later meeting.
|
|
Selective Licensing update
|
|
The Selective Licensing scheme has been operational for over a year. We’ve received over 10,600 applications that cover over 12,000 properties due to block licence applications. This is more than we predicted. We would like to thank the letting agents and landlords who have applied for their licence.
From 01 September 2023, the fees have increased. During the consultation, landlords and agents were clear we should set the year one fees at a low level to encourage landlords to apply and compliant landlords should pay less than those who apply later. Our year one fees are amongst the lowest in the country.
- Higher fee: £1,100 total (£200 stage one payment, £900 stage two payment). This is the default fee applied.
- Standard fee: £530 total (£200 stage one, £330 stage two payment). You must provide evidence with the application that the property has been newly rented within the last 12 weeks or you have become the owner within the last 12 weeks.
- Accreditation fee: £330 (£200 stage one payment, £130 stage two payment). As per the standard fee and evidence the landlord/agent is accredited and provide the required safety certificates.
When completing the application form, you will be prompted to upload a tenancy agreement or other document to support your application. If this is not provided, the higher fee will be charged.
All payments must now be made by credit card. During the application process you will be asked to pre-authorise payment up to £1,100.
|
|
|
Damp and Mould is the most common hazard we find in properties under the Housing Act 2004 Housing Health and Safety Rating System, along with Excess Cold. During the colder months, the council receives many enquiries from tenants concerned about damp and mould.
Following the death of a child last year, the government has released guidance for all landlords, including private landlords and managing agents, on understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home.
We advise you to read this guidance as it provides in detail the health effects, the legislation that applies to private rented homes, how to respond to complaints raised by tenants and how to identify and address problems with damp and mould. The guidance also provides details of competent tradesperson qualifications in relation to damp and mould work.
All our property licences include a condition to regularly inspect your properties for disrepair. This government guidance states “Landlords should regularly inspect their properties, remedy deficiencies promptly and ensure that they have a regular programme of maintenance and management.” Whilst this guidance is specifically aimed at damp and mould, we expect landlords to ensure all disrepair is remedied promptly to avoid the need for intervention by the council, allowing us to focus on those landlords who fail to comply with the law.
You can find the guidance by clicking here.
|
|
The National Landlord Energy Advice Service |
|
|
The advice service is specifically about MEES regulations, which sets out the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for rental properties; in brief, except under certain circumstances, properties can only be rented out if they have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of band E or above. We help landlords understand the regulations and how they can comply with them, including telling them about energy efficiency measures funding they might be entitled to. Our aim is to improve the comfort for tenants and, through better quality housing, help reduce their energy bills and the impact on the environment of the domestic housing sector.
If you are a landlord and think you would benefit from our service, please contact us. You can do so in the following ways:
|
|
What is retrofit?
Retrofit means making improvements to an existing building to improve its energy efficiency.
Retrofitting gives you the opportunity to bring your property up to the standards occupiers expect. Retrofitting will improve your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, improve the quality of your property and reduce energy bills. Increased EPC ratings can increase the value of your property by up to 20%, can make your property easier to rent and your tenants may stay longer reducing costly vacant periods.
There is funding available to help pay for retrofit. The Great British Insulation Scheme has funding available for properties in council tax band A – D. Other funding is available if your tenants are on a low income or receive certain benefits.
You can find out if your property or your tenants are eligible for any retrofit funding by contacting Better Housing Better Health on:
0800 107 0044 or at https://www.bhbh.org.uk/
You can also use the free Plan Builder from Cosy Homes which shows you what kind of measures your property may need and what they might cost. https://cosyhomesoxfordshire.org/
We will be providing more information on retrofitting and funding options at the Landlord Forum on November 16th.
|
|
Do you own a property in Rose Hill/Iffley?
Have you thought about updating/replacing the gas boiler in your property?
Clean Heat Streets is part of the Government’s Heat Pump Ready funding programme and is offering heavily discounted Samsung Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs). The project aims to install ASHPs in 15-25% of homes of all tenures across select roads of Rose Hill and Iffley.
Typically the cost of installing an ASHP would come to approximately £8000 (factoring in the government’s support via the Boiler Upgrade Scheme), whereas the cost under this project starts at £2600. The project also offers a free property suitability survey (normally costing £400) to see if your property is ready for a heat pump.
If you are interested in finding out more, or registering your interest, please visit www.cleanheatstreets.com.
Landlords of Oxford – Clean Heat Streets needs your help!
The Clean Heat Streets team would like to invite landlords, social or private, to take part in user research. The aim of the research is to gain insight into the landlords’ experiences and opinions of Heat Pump installations in rented properties. We want to capture what landlords understand to be the benefits and drawbacks of heat pumps.
The research will involve a 45 minute online interview. Interviews will be recorded and shared between the project research partners, but all details will be anonymised.
This research is crucial to understanding barriers to heat pump take up on the road to reaching net zero by 2040.Therefore, as a thank you for your time and valuable insights, we are offering participants £20 for taking part.
If you would like to take part in this research, please contact info@cleanheatstreets.com
|
|
|
An in-person ATLAS Landlord Accreditation course is available in Oxford Town Hall on 30th November and runs from 9.15am to 4.30pm. ATLAS Accreditation enables landlords to have 5 year HMO licences and lower fees when applying for new selective licences.
You can join ATLAS for 2 years for £99.90 per person or 5 years for £199.90 per person; please note, it is a condition of your licence that you maintain accreditation so we suggest you opt for the 5 year option.
To book the session visit https://www.londonlandlords.org.uk/events/2083/Accreditation-Training/
If you cannot attend sessions in Oxford, there are on-line options and other locations in the south-east. We will be running more sessions in 2024.
Please note, ATLAS accreditation is for landlords only.
|
|
Have you heard of a Disabled Facility Grant (DFG)?
 |
|
Oxford City Councils Home Improvement Agency (HIA) is dedicated to helping older, disabled and vulnerable residents within Oxford City to live safely and independently in their own home. This is achieved through advice and the repair, adaptation and improvements of homes, enabling them to remain in a safe, secure and accessible environment. |
The DFG is a means-tested grant available to disabled persons, for adaptations to provide better facilities and freedom of movement in and around their home. Where adaptations are necessary, a DFG offers help with the cost of providing these to the home, making it easier for them to continue living there.
A DFG covers adaptations to enable your tenant safer access into and out of a property, create easier access to a bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen and making it easier to use the toilet, bath and/or shower.
It is important to understand that you are not required to fund any aspect of adaptations yourself and your key responsibility lies in providing permission for the adaptation to be made.
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which is means-tested, can meet the cost of works up to a maximum of £30,000. It’s important to note that it is the disabled tenant who is means-tested and not the landlord, and landlords are not required to provide any details about their income.
Mr A – Landlord, Oxford City said of the service “ HIA supported both my tenant and I last year when installing a disabled wetroom. From start to finish I was impressed with the high specifications, local professional contractors used and quality of the work, the finish was impeccable. I was nervous at first but trust me, from my experience there really isn’t any need, HIA will guide you throughout the process and really make it a worry free task.”
For more information on DFG’s and how to apply please call our team on 01865 252788 or visit www.oxford.gov.uk/dfgleaflet
|
|
"Do you have Brookes student tenants?''
The Community Engagement team at Oxford Brookes University is keen to work with local landlords and letting agents. They seek to provide a joined up approach to communicating to students expectations regarding their responsibilities while living in private rented accommodation.
They provide advice and guidance to students to help them settle into their community and encourage them to show consideration to those around them. They work in partnership with Thames Valley Police, Oxford City Council and Oxford Direct Services to ensure students obtain relevant and up to date information to assist them living in the community. At the start of each academic year they work together to deliver an initiative called the House Champion scheme, which includes top tips for students on how to be good neighbours, including how to keep noise levels down, how to manage their waste and keep their property safe.
Similar to last year, they have produced a poster which brings together the advice from all the partners including URL links and QR codes for further information. The poster will be included in the House Champion welcome packs, which will be distributed to student houses in East Oxford.
We would be grateful if you could help distribute the posters by emailing the PDF to your Brookes student tenants. To download the poster, please go to https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/community/community-engagement/student-information and click on ‘House Champion Scheme (PDF)’.
If you would like further information or are interested in how we might be able to work more closely together, please contact us at community@brookes.ac.uk
www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/community/community-engagement/
community@brookes.ac.uk
Follow us on Twitter: @BrookesCLO"
|
|
|
It might not feel like autumn right now, but all too soon we'll be putting on our jumpers and wondering about the heating. If you, your tenants or anyone you know living in Oxford is worried about what you can afford, there is lots of support available. We've got free and low-cost food support to help save a bit on the food shop, there's money and debt advice available from Oxford's advice centres, the council provides free youth clubs and sports sessions for young people to enjoy activities during school term and we provide advice on how to manage energy costs and where to get support. There are free and low-cost offers for your spare time too, from the free You Move and Move Together programmes, to community centre activities and free access to libraries, museums, parks and fit trails. Take a look at our cost of living directory or call us on 01865 249811.
|
|
www.oxford.gov.uk
01865 249811
|
|
Stay Connected:
 |
@OxfordCityCouncil
|
 |
@OxfordCity
|
 |
@oxfordcitycouncil
|
|
|
|
|
|
