Landlords in Oxford are being warned they have less than a month to apply for a licence under a council’s selective licensing scheme before facing a significant increase in the application fee.  It is now mandatory for ALL private lets in the city to have a licence.

Currently, landlords are charged £480 for a five-year licence, but from 1 September that will rocket to £1,100.  That is unless a property is newly rented within 12 weeks of the application, in which case the fee will be £530.

The council’s cabinet member for housing, Cllr Linda Smith, said: “If you’re a private landlord or agent who hasn’t applied for a licence yet then you need to get a move on.

“Application fees increase from £480 to £1,100 on 1 September and you’re already at risk of enforcement action if your properties are unlicensed.”

She added: “We’ve already had nearly 10,500 licence applications and that’s great news for tenants and the majority of responsible landlords and agents.

“Everyone should have a decent home and tenants deserve the confidence of knowing that theirs is safe, in good condition and well managed.”

The council also warns that tenants living in unlicensed homes can apply for a rent repayment order (RRO) through the First Tier Tribunal to claim up to a year’s rent from the landlord.

More details can be seen here.