Blackburn with Darwen Council has scrapped immediate plans to introduce a new selective licensing scheme for landlords of privately rented properties on the edge of its main town centre.

The local authority has decided to postpone any requirement for residential properties in the Hollins Bank area to have a licence costing landlords £724 for five years following a consultation last summer.

Following the consultation council growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood decided not to proceed, amid concerns that local landlords would either pass higher costs onto tenants or flee the market by selling up.

Cllr Mahmood said: “I note the outcome of the public consultation to consider the proposed ‘Hollins Bank’ selective licensing area. I approve the ongoing monitoring of the area to ensure the area is improving.

“I approve the recommendation to postpone declaring a selective licensing area due to the changing housing market and in order to align any scheme with the emerging housing strategy for Blackburn with Darwen. Licences include conditions aimed at ensuring properties are safe, meet basic standards and are managed in a satisfactory way.

“During 2022, the council highlighted potential concerns around private sector rented properties in the Mill Hill and Ewood area. The report identified a need to consider appropriate action to resolve issues around the relatively high number of empty properties, high turnover of tenants in private rented housing, fly tipping, rubbish dumping and anti-social behaviour in the area.

“The area was regarded as having low demand properties, private rented properties with a high level of tenant turnover in short timescales and low values of properties for sale. The total number of private rented properties affected was 1,153.

“Landlords were generally unhappy with the proposals and questioned the proposed licence fees and asked how they would be used to provide support and resources for landlords. Some landlords queried the data regarding low demand and high levels of rental properties suggesting it was out of date.

“Both of these measures have seen improvements as market demand has increased with rental properties in high demand due to increased housing demand boroughwide and empty property numbers are beginning to reduce as the council’s empty properties team has been proactively working to bring empty homes back into occupation.

“The proposed licence fee could directly impact tenants as landlords would undoubtedly push additional costs onto their tenants through increased rents. A further concern is that landlords may decide to sell their properties.”