Selective licensing in the private rented sector: a guide for local authorities
Guidance explaining the criteria for making a selective licensing scheme.
Applies to England
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This guidance explains the criteria for making a selective licensing scheme and discusses the types of evidence needed to support a designation.
It sets out what a local authority would expect a scheme to deliver in terms of the economic and social conditions of the designated area, and how this will be evaluated. It also explains the processes that need to be complied with before a designation can be brought into force.
This guidance applies to all designations.
Under the Housing Act 2004, local authorities currently have powers to introduce selective licensing of privately rented homes to address problems in their area, or any part of them, caused by low housing demand; significant anti-social behaviour; poor housing conditions; high levels of migrations; high levels of deprivation and/or high levels of crime.
With effect from 23 December 2024, a new General Approval came into force. Local housing authorities in England are no longer required to obtain confirmation from the Secretary of State before implementing a selective licensing scheme of any size. Local housing authorities must, however, still satisfy all statutory requirements in Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004.
In addition, as set out in the General Approval, local housing authorities are expected to consult for a period of at least 10 weeks on the proposed designation. To support local accountability and transparency, the General Approval also requests local housing authorities to include the mayor (where applicable) in their consultations, provide MHCLG with data on their selective licensing scheme(s) and publish the outcome of any selective licensing review(s) undertaken pursuant to their legal duty to review the operation of schemes under section 84(3) of the Act.
Further detail is available within the selective licensing guidance.
Updates to this page
Published 27 March 2015Last updated 16 December 2024 + show all updates
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Added The Housing Act 2004: Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Selective Licensing of Other Residential Accommodation (England) General Approval 2024; updated guidance.
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Updated Selective Licensing Guidance to clarify selective licensing legislation, and requirements for applications submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
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Added selective licensing form for local authorities
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First published.