Selective Licence

Hi all,
The council sent a letter, misspelling our names, telling us we need to pay a selective license on our rental house.
Yet another way of getting money out of landlords. The house is just over 5 years old. In tip-top shape and fab tenants for the last year.  Prior, and for about the 1st year, when the licence started it was occupied by my partners' nephew and wife, so that made the house exempt.

I don't mind so much paying the 5-year fee, (not fair to pay for 5 years when only needed for 4) but I find the data required by the council very intrusive. For example, they want a copy of the tenancy agreement uploaded as a part of the licence application.  Is that not a breach of the GDPR rules?

Also read that electrics need to be inspected every 5 years, which is so unnecessary in my eyes especially in a house that's just over 5 years old.

Is there any of the necessary checks that the landlord can do without looking for 3rd parties?

Is there anything that I need to be afraid of from the council side or doing things?

Looking forward to your replies.

Quote from: LaMon on February 05, 2021, 03:19:47 PM

I don't mind so much paying the 5-year fee, (not fair to pay for 5 years when only needed for 4)...

The License is partially retrospective or for going forwards? I would think (hope) that it's a 5 year License from the date you get it... do you know, now, what the property will be used for in 2026?

The licence started in October 2018 and it's running until August 2023. I cannot think as far as 2026, in the current climate I might want to sell as some point.