Enforcement
It will be a criminal offence for a landlord to operate a residential let property in a selective licensing area without a licence from the 15 February 2026. The council has agreed a 90-day period during which unlicenced properties will not be enforced against during which applications can be submitted.
Enforcement will be a strong feature of this scheme to create a level playing field for all letting businesses.
Concern has been raised in previous schemes that the criminal and negligent behaviour of some landlords has not been deterred by enforcement. During consultation, both landlords and tenants supported stronger enforcement. Landlords are expected to deliver a professional letting service and management of their properties and tenants.
Landlords will be given the opportunity and support to comply with both national legislation and the licence schemes conditions. Those who persist in offering substandard, dangerous properties or allow overcrowding, cannabis cultivation or other ASB to occur from their properties, should expect the full penalty available under the law.
Landlords or tenants who require assistance will be supported by the selective licensing team. But landlord should not expect the council to manage their properties for them. It is the landlord’s responsibility to communicate with their tenants to identify repair issues and resolve them and not wait for council inspectors to advise them of problems.
The Council’s Enforcement Policy provides the basis for all enforcement work. Landlords who fail to licence, breach licence conditions or breach other housing-related legislation may be subject to a range of penalties from prosecutions in Magistrates or Crown Court to Civil Penalties of up to £30,000. Rent repayment orders will also feature in appropriate cases.
The aim is to professionalise all those operating letting businesses, whether they let a single home or many. This will improve the lives of residents and drive standards up in the housing market within the area.
Landlords can also get advice and support from the National Residential Landlords Association or other professional bodies. You can view their website below:
