Previous Selective Licensing Scheme Outturn Report

The 2020 to 2025 declarations of selective licensing came to an end on the 30 April 2025.

The council would like to thank everyone who has been involved in and contributed to, the 2020 to 2025 selective licensing schemes.

Headlines for the 2020 to 2025 Selective Licensing Scheme

The 2020-25 selective licensing scheme in Rotherham concluded on the 30 April 2025. The scheme successfully delivered its housing objectives, summarised below.

Scheme Delivery and Outputs

• 2,319 licences (2260) and exemptions (59) issued
• 2,377 properties inspected
• 536 rebates granted for better managed properties
• 3 Licences revoked after prosecution
• 331 Licences surrendered  

Enforcement Activity

To ensure consistent standards across all licence holders:

• 2,574 Formal Enforcement Notices (not including warnings) were issued, including:
  • 1,335 Housing Notices
  • 1,239 Environmental Notices (inc. ASB)

Improvements in Residents’ Health, Welfare and in their Neighbourhoods 

The scheme significantly improved housing conditions, with measurable health benefits for residents and cost savings for the NHS and wider community.

Work to disrupt criminality and associated antisocial behaviour delivered significant area impact.

• Category 1 Hazards (serious and immediate risks):
  • Found in 292 properties
  • 589 hazards identified and removed

• Category 2 Hazards (less immediate but still harmful):
  • Found in 1,470 properties
  • 7,587 hazards identified and addressed

• Cost savings (BRE Housing Health Costs Calculator)
  • £148,543 savings to the NHS from removing hazards
  • £1,860,797 wider Societal benefits from preventing Ill health  

• Impact on criminality and antisocial behaviour
  • Over £40M of seized Cannabis and disruption to organised crime
  • 155 detected cannabis cultivations
  • 155 Emergency prohibition Notices
  • Reduction in associated ASB and violence in the areas.  
  • Over 2000 instances of nuisance and ASB addressed
  • Improved partnership and intelligence working

Support to Households

The proactive nature of the scheme enabled the council to reach vulnerable tenants who may not have otherwise reported unsafe conditions due to:

• Language barriers
• Fear of retaliation or eviction
• Lack of awareness of their rights

As a result, 1,470 households in Rotherham experienced significant improvements in their living conditions, contributing to safer, healthier homes across the borough.

The local environment has been protected from deterioration and the activities of irresponsible individuals and criminal gangs.