Should the existing approval process be kept in place for either additional HMO licensing and/or selective licensing?
2 No, the Lobby does not consider that the existing approval process should be retained, for either additional or selective licensing. We note the small number of successful applications for both additional HMO licensing (four local authorities) and for selective licensing (twelve local authorities). We know from our own advocacy of, and participation in, such applications that the workload involved, combined with the uncertainty of the outcome, is a significant deterrent to local authorities. This has meant that valuable legislation has not been implemented nearly as widely as is warranted. Should we introduce a general consent for all local authorities in England? 3 Yes, the Lobby considers that the government should introduce a general consent for all local authorities (LAs) in England. The existing procedure has limited the impact of valuable legislation. Meanwhile, other countries of the UK enjoy much greater liberality in licensing. In Scotland, for instance, all HMOs require a l
