Selective Licensing

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The consultation on a proposed new Additional HMO Licensing Scheme closed on 24 May 2023

Selective Licensing scheme

Selective Licensing is a scheme that requires most private rented properties to be licensed. It means that houses need to be licensed where they have one or two tenants or a family living there.*

More information on the Selective Licensing scheme can be found at the bottom of this page.

*Although the legislation refers to ‘houses’ this does cover a variety of housing types (for example flats); the scheme provides for the regulation of ‘houses’ as defined by section 99 of the Housing Act 2004. 

Apply for an individual property licence (Selective Licence)

Completing this service should take around 60 minutes.

To complete this service you will need.

  • Proof of Identification (ID)
  • Gas Safety Certificate                                        
  • Energy Performance Certificate 

If you are unsure if you require a licence, click on ‘Apply for a licence’ and complete the ‘Type of Licence’ page on the form which will tell you what licence (if any) is required.

Click here for more information on Nottingham City Council Licensing Schemes.

Apply for a licence

Licence Variation

If you have a licence in place already, but some details have changed, then you can apply for a licence variation below. Please be aware that licence holders cannot be changed.

For more information on licence variations, please click on the link below where more information can be found before applying. 

Licence Variation

What is a Selective Licence?

The Selective Licensing scheme in Nottingham started on Wednesday the 1st of August 2018. The scheme will run for five years when it may be renewed.

Selective Licensing is a licensing scheme for landlords who privately rent properties that meet the below criteria and fall within the designated areas for Selective Licensing.

Licences are for each property. A privately rented property could fall under the Selective Licensing scheme if there is:

  • One occupant
  • More than one occupant who form one household (e.g. a family) or;
  • Two unrelated individuals who form two households (e.g. two friends)

(where the property does not meet the above/ has more occupants; it is likely to fall under one of the other licensing scheme-see ‘other schemes’ below).

Designated area

The Selective Licensing scheme does not cover all areas of the city. It’s estimated to cover over 30,000 privately rented homes in a designated area. It's really important that you check if your property is in a designated area.

Some properties, such as those managed by Housing Associations and Nottingham City Homes properties, are exempt from licensing.

Other schemes

There are also two other property licensing schemes in Nottingham affecting HMOs, Additional Licensing and Mandatory Licensing. If your property does not need a Selective Licence it may still need one of these types of licences. If your property is already licensed under one of these schemes, you do not need the Selective Scheme.

More information is available below. Please read our “Does my property require a licence?” section and the “Selective Licensing Handbook” under the “Resources and good practice guides”.

What licensing means for tenants

If someone rents a home in Nottingham City the landlord probably needs a licence.

Tenants in Nottingham should only be renting from a landlord who has a property licence or has applied for one. If you become aware of an unlicensed property that’s being rented out then you can report it.

If a tenant is already living somewhere, and there is no licence, and no application has been made for one, then they may be able to claim rent back from their landlord.

Other Information

Fees and Discounts

Individual Property Licence Fee(s)

Non-Accredited

*Accredited with DASH or Unipol/ANUK

Total Licence Fee

£890

£670

Part A fee

£520

£485

Part B fee

£370

£185

Block Licence Fee(s)

Non-Accredited

**Accredited with DASH or Unipol/ANUK

Block Base Fee(s)

£2,720

£2,025

Part A fee

£1,195

£1,195

Part B Fee

£1,525

£830

Standard Fee (per dwelling)

£425

£385

Part A fee

£260

£255

Part B fee

£165

£130

Paper Application Fee(s) (additional fee to individual property licence fee above)

Application downloaded and printed from website

£65

Requesting NCC to send application by post

£100

 

Fee breakdown, including how the fee is spent 

Other Useful Documents

Tacit Consent Will Not Apply

No tacit consent is applicable to this type of application. If you have not been contacted by us within a reasonable time following the submission of a duly made application, then please do contact us at Selective.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

* The accredited fee is applicable where the proposed Licence Holder or manager is accredited with the Nottingham Standard (through either Unipol, ANUK or DASH).

DASH accreditation; the property and licence holder must be registered with DASH accreditation.

ANUK/ UNIPOL; the proposed licence holder or manager must be fully (100%) accredited with one of these schemes (supporters of the scheme will not receive the discount).

 

** Please see the gull fee guidance document below for full information on block licence fees.

 

Please note - The council will only give a refund if:

  • a duplicate application has been made
  • an application has been made for an exempted property by mistake

If you are in the process of selling your property and it falls within the designated area you can apply for a temporary exemption notice (TEN).

You can only make an application if you are the owner or person in control of the property. 

How long Does it Last

A temporary exemption notice lasts for three months. You can renew for an extra three months in special circumstances. If the property still needs a licence after this period, you must apply for a property licence straight away.

If you wish to apply for a temporary exemption, please download, complete and return the Temporary Exemption Request Form to selective.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

For more information on temporary exemptions please download documents below to read.

 

It is against the law for any landlord to rent out a property in designated Selective Licencing areas without a licence. We will work with other partner agencies across Nottingham to find unlicensed properties and take legal action.

Landlords with unlicensed rented properties can face a financial penalty notice of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from the court.​ You could also have control of your unlicensed properties taken away from you, and be ordered to repay up to 12 months rent to us or your tenants. 

Paper Application

A paper application carries the extra cost of £100 due to the more administrative cost and processing time required. One can be requested by completing the online request here.

Please be advised that £35 is required prior to sending the form out and we will contact you to take payment.

This £100 is split into £35 to send the form and then the remaining £65 is paid with the first part of the application fee when the form is returned completed to us.

If you wish to print your own copy and return it to us, Part A Paper Application additional fee of £35 will be waived. 

Applicants can now apply for block licence.

Conditions that must be met to enable the grant of a Block Licence

The Council accepts that under Part 3 Housing Act 2004 it is possible for it to grant a Block Licence which covers more than one separate dwelling where the following conditions are met:           

  • Each of the dwellings are separate dwellings (usually self-contained flats), within the same building; and
  • Each of the dwellings are occupied under non-"exempt tenancies"; and
  • The entire building which contains the separate dwellings must be under common control and management

For more information, refer to:  (Click to download and read file)

You may also need to provide the following if relevant

  • Emergency Escape Lighting Test Certificate (if present)
  • Fire Alarm Test Certificate
  • Most recent portable appliance test (PAT) certificate
  • Building regulation completion certificate and planning consents (if applicable)
  • Evidence of relevant training (if undertaken)
  • Written Fire Safety Risk Assessment (if applicable)

Find out more about the documents you require before you apply by visiting the Documents Required Before Renting NCC Page

To apply for block licence complete application and relevant appendix below:

To report a landlord or unlicensed property

You have a right to request any recorded information held by Nottingham City Council that is not personal information about yourself. Further information on how to make an FOI request can be found here.

Email:  selective.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

 

Housing Licensing Privacy Notice

Related Pages

selective.licensing@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

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