Your licensing bulletin for September
In a bumper licensing blog this month, we round up all the latest consultations and share details of new schemes coming into force across the country.
Liverpool City Council - Selective Licensing
The council is consulting on renewing its existing selective licensing scheme.
The council is consulting on three options:
- A city-wide designation, based on evidence relating to low housing demand and the potential for neighbourhood decline.
- A targeted designation focused on areas where evidence demonstrates high levels of deprivation and where licensing could contribute towards improving housing management, neighbourhoods and wider outcomes for residents
- A targeted designation focused on areas experiencing significant poor housing conditions within the private rented sector, building on the approach used in the current scheme.
The proposed fee structure varies, with fees starting at £453 and going up to £995 per licence.
The consultation closes on 5th October. Further information about the proposals and to submit feedback visit the council’s website.
London Borough of Barnet - Selective Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to introduce a selective licensing scheme in ten wards in the borough, including:
- Burnt Oak
- Childs Hill
- Colindale North
- Colindale South
- Cricklewood
- Finchley Church End
- Friern Barnet
- Golders Green
- Hendon
- West Hendon
The proposed licence fee is £910 or £928, subject to inflation (which the council says it will consider in due course), with discounts available for accreditation. The consultation will close on 15th September. For further information about the proposals and to submit feedback visit the council’s website.
London Borough of Ealing - Additional Licensing
The council is currently consulting on renewing and updating its additional licensing scheme for the borough.
The proposed fee is £1,300 per licence, and £1,100 for Section 257 HMOs. Discounts are available for accredited landlords and for properties with an EPC rating of C or above.
The consultation closes on 24th September. For further information about the proposals and to submit feedback visit the council’s website.
Slough Borough Council - Selective and Additional Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to introduce borough-wide selective and borough-wide additional licensing schemes in Slough. The proposed selective licensing fee is £750 per licence, and £950 per additional licence.
The consultation closes on 23rd September. For further information about the proposals and to submit feedback visit the council’s website.
Royal Borough of Greenwich - Selective Licensing
The council is planning to introduce a selective licensing scheme covering 18 wards, which would replace the smaller scheme which is currently in force.
The proposed licence fee is £974 per property, with discounts available for accreditation.
The consultation closes on 12th October. Further information about the proposals and how to respond can be found on the council’s website.
Preston City Council - Selective Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to introduce a new selective licensing scheme for three wards in the city: the city centre, St Matthew’s and Plungington.
The proposed licence fee is £1,050 per property. The consultation closes on 11th October. Further information about the scheme and how to submit feedback on the proposals can be found on the council’s website.
Burnley Borough Council - Selective Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to redesignate and/or introduce a selective licensing scheme for three areas of the borough: the Burnley Wood with Healey Wood area, Lyndhurst Road area and Leyland Road area.
Discounts are available for previous licence holders and those who are accredited under the council’s Good Landlord and Agent Scheme, with fees ranging from £610 to £774.
A further discount of £100 is available for those who complete and submit their application within the first six weeks of the scheme (applying to the first application only). The consultation closes on 18th October. Further information about the scheme and how to submit feedback can be found on the council’s website.
North Yorkshire Council (Scarborough) - Selective Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to renew and expand its selective licensing scheme for a further five years from May next year.
The proposals include extending the scheme to include all properties on Valley Road and Esplanade Gardens, and a revised licence fee.
The proposed fee is £750 for the first licenced property, and £150 for each additional property owned by the same landlord. A £100 discount is proposed where the landlord remains the same and the property details have not changed. The consultation closes on 12th October. Further information about the scheme and how to submit feedback can be found on the council’s website.
Halton Borough Council - Selective Licensing
The council is currently consulting on plans to introduce a Selective Licensing scheme in five areas of the borough:
- Central and West Bank ward
- Appleton ward
- Mersey and Weston ward
- Bridgewater ward
- Highfield
The proposed licence fee is £685 per property. The council is also proposing a £100 discount to applicants who are accredited members of the NRLA. The consultation closes on 18th October. Further information about the scheme and how to submit feedback can be found on the council’s website.
Gosport Council - PRS policy change consultation
Gosport Borough Council is consulting on two new policies within the borough:
- Private Rented Sector Housing Enforcement Policy, and
- Renters’ Rights Act Civil Penalty Policy
These policies apply to the enforcement of housing standards in PRS homes within the borough and set out how the council will investigate complaints and conduct enforcement action. The consultation closes on 11th September. Further information about the proposed policies and how to submit feedback can be found on the council’s website.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council – Article 4 direction for Houses in Multiple Occupation
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is consulting on introducing an Article 4 direction to cover the whole of the borough.
The proposed Article 4 direction would apply to Use Class C4 HMOs – small HMOs that are used by no more than six residents.
The proposed direction would come into force on 30th July next year – a year after notification.
The consultation closes on 24th September, with further information about the proposal and how to submit feedback available on the council’s website.
Bath and Northeast Somerset Council – PRS policy change consultation
Bath and Northeast Somerset Council is consulting on an updated housing policy – the Housing Services Enforcement & Financial Penalty Policy 2026.
The proposed policy “sets out how the council would investigate breaches of housing law, enforce standards and take action where needed.”
The consultation closes on 23rd September, with further information about the proposal and how to submit feedback available on the council’s website.
Schemes coming into force
London Borough of Croydon - Selective and Additional Licensing
The council has approved a borough-wide additional licensing scheme and a selective licensing scheme which covers part of the borough.
Areas covered by the selective licensing scheme are:
• Addiscombe East
• Addiscombe West
• Bensham Manor
• Broad Green
• Fairfield
• Norbury and Pollards Hill
• Norbury Park
• Selhurst
• South Croydon
• South Norwood
• Thornton Heath
• Waddon
• West Thornton
• Woodside
The licence fee is £1,250 for an additional licence and £800 for a selective licence. Discounts are available for landlords who are accredited.
Both schemes come into force on 25th September. More information on how to apply for licences will be available this summer and further information can be found on the council’s website.
London Borough of Enfield - Selective Licensing
The council has renewed its selective licensing scheme which will come into force on 1st September and end on 31 August, 2031.
The council has split the designation into two parts, with licensing coming into force on the same date. Areas covered by the selective licensing scheme are:
Designation One:
• Bowes
• Brimsdown
• Bullsmoor
• Carterhatch
• Edmonton Green
• Enfield Lock
• Haselbury
• Jubilee
• Lower Edmonton
• Ponders End
• Southbury
• Upper Edmonton
• Whitewebbs
Designation Two:
• New Southgate
• Palmers Green
• Southgate Town
The licence fee is £750 per property. Current selective licences will remain in force until their existing expiry date. Further information about the scheme can be found on the council’s website.
Gloucester City Council - Additional Licensing
Gloucester City Council has confirmed that a city-wide additional licensing scheme will come into force 21th September and end on 20th September, 2031.
There is an £1,060 early bird additional licensing fee for applications received before 21st September. If you send in your application after this date you will pay a £1260 licence fee. Further information about the scheme can be found on the council’s website.
Brighton & Hove City Council- Selective Licensing
The council has confirmed a small-scale selective licensing scheme will come into force on 20th October and end on 19th October, 2031. The scheme will cover Central Hove and Regency wards.
The licence fee is £740 per licence, with discounts available for those accredited with the NRLA who have a property with an EPC rating of C or above. Further information about the scheme and how to apply can be found on the council’s website.
Salford City Council – Additional Licensing
The council has confirmed the city-wide additional licensing scheme for Section 257 HMOs will start on 24th November and end on 24th November 2031.
Fees for the scheme vary dependent on HMO size, accreditation and when you make your application and will range from £1,284 and £1,991.
Further information about the scheme and how to apply can be found on the council’s website.
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