Landlord licensing needed to save our communities

Do the landlords who have written in feeling so disgruntled really think licensing has come in on a whim? It certainly has not. It has been implemented after years of lobbying from residents who have had to put up with the influx of owners who seem to think they can just buy a property to let and then sit back while the rent rolls in.
Landlord licensing is essentialLandlord licensing is essential
Landlord licensing is essential

Here in Trinity we have seen the effects of such attitudes and for landlords to try to claim they have played no part in the demise of our neighbourhoods is quite literally appalling. Large numbers of our residents have been affected by living next door to badly-maintained properties that have caused damage to their own, either tenanted or just abandoned. Many, including members of my own family, have had the proverbial “neighbours from hell”, who have turned lives upside down and had such devastating effects.

The results from landlords having a free reign for many years is what we see now.

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Everyone should be able to live in peace, without having to worry about what is happening on their own doorstep.

The issues we now face on a day-to-day basis were never there 15 years ago and parts of Trinity are unrecognisable now, for all the wrong reasons.

Unlike some people think, there are good people who live within areas that have been blighted by the influx of landlords, people who are house proud and who wouldn’t want to or feel they have to move. We, and residents in other areas where rented properties which aren’t, or haven’t, been properly managed, are the real losers and it is not just financial. What price can be put on peace and contentment?

The issues being dealt with by licensing are many and will take time to turn around; after all, all this didn’t happen overnight. We have no bone to pick with anyone wanting to rent property here or in other areas, but please, people need decent housing and we need a proper vetting procedure in place. Good housing, good tenant equals regular income for landlords, peace of mind for residents, improvements for our neighbourhoods, less pressure on our Neighbourhood Policing Team and other agencies.

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You only reap what you sow. The only other thing we then need is respect. Respect for all who live and work here in Trinity, Gannow, Queensgate and other areas, which will hopefully come under the licensing umbrella in time.

So, don’t write us off.

The majority of housing stock in Trinity is fit for purpose and will be for many years, providing it is looked after.

I hope that after reading this you can look at licensing from a different angle, and see why it is so necessary, as previous voluntary schemes were ignored.

Mrs Wendy Graham

Resident representative of the Trinity SL Team

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