- How to apply
- About Selective Licensing
- Selective Licensing in Peterborough
- Designated areas in Peterborough
- Which properties in the designated areas fall under the Selective Licensing Scheme
- Exempt properties
- Who can hold a licence
- How long it takes to get a licence and the validity period
- Licence fees
- Other licensing schemes - Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Additional Licensing
- Civil penalties
- Further information
- Information for overseas landlords
- Contact
How to apply
The Peterborough Selective Licensing Scheme launched on 11 March 2024. This means that property owners who privately rent their properties in designated areas of the city need to apply for a licence.
We have provided below all the information you need to know about how the Selective Licensing Scheme works. Please read this through carefully.
Home Safe is overseeing the administration of the Selective Licensing Scheme as our direct partner. You must apply directly to Home Safe via their website.
The Home Safe website contains the information you need to apply. They have officers available to guide you through the application process.
About Selective Licensing
The Housing Act 2004 gives councils the power to require residential landlords to obtain a licence to let property to tenants within a designated area.
The aim is to improve the quality of life for all in the area by ensuring a consistent high standard of management of private rented homes. This makes a positive contribution to the area.
The designated area has a high level of private rented housing. The criteria to be considered as ‘high level’ is for an area to have above 23.5% private rented housing. If this level is reached, we can introduce Selective Licensing if an area satisfies one or more of the following conditions:
- Low housing demand (or is likely to become such an area)
- A significant and persisted problem caused by anti-social behaviour
- Poor property conditions
- High levels of migration
- High levels of deprivation
- High levels of crime
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. Although the legislation refers to ‘houses’, this does cover a variety of housing types, such as flats. The scheme provides for the regulation of ‘houses’ as defined by Section 99 of the Housing Act 2004.
Selective Licensing in Peterborough
On 4 December 2023, the Secretary of State approved the introduction of Selective Licensing in designated areas of Peterborough. This means that any property rented out within the private rented sector in these areas will require a licence.
The Selective Licensing Scheme began on 11 March 2024 and will run for five years until 10 March 2029. We may renew the scheme at the end of the five year period.
Designated areas in Peterborough
Selective Licensing covers specific areas of the city. The designated areas are located within the following electoral wards:
- Bretton
- Central
- East
- Fletton and Stanground
- Fletton and Woodston
- North
- Orton Waterville
- Park
- Paston and Walton
- Stanground South
Please click on the drop down box below to see a list of all the streets in the designated areas.
You can also view the designated areas on our online map system.
If you require the information in Annexes A and B in an alternative format, please email selectivelicensing@peterborough.gov.uk.
Which properties in the designated areas fall under the Selective Licensing Scheme
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.
Each individual property you own within the designated areas requires a licence.
A privately rented property could fall under the Selective Licensing Scheme if there is:
- One occupant
- More than one occupant who forms one household (e.g. a family) or
- Two unrelated individuals who form two households (e.g. two friends)
Exempt properties
Some privately rented properties are not required to hold a Selective Licence. Examples of statutory exemptions include:
- Council and housing association tenancies
- Holiday lets
- Properties with tenancies exceeding 21 years
- Care homes and similar institutions
- Student accommodation operated by the college / school
- Business tenancies
- Properties where the council has taken action to close a property down
- Licensable HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004
- Where temporary exemption notices are in force
Please see our 'further information' section lower down this page where we have a drop down box with more details on exemptions.
You can find further information on Selective Licensing exemptions on the legislation.gov.uk website.
Who can hold a licence
For every licence there must be a named licence holder. We have a duty to grant a licence to the most appropriate person. In most circumstances, this would be the owner of the property. In some circumstances however, it may be a leaseholder or a manager / managing agent. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that an application for a licence is made for their property.
The proposed licence holder must have the power to:
- Collect rental income
- Set up and terminate tenancies
- Access all parts of the dwelling
- Authorise repairs and maintenance to the property
If the owner nominates a managing agent to be the proposed licence holder, they must have the power to undertake the listed conditions above. The licence holder will be bound by the licence conditions and should be competent.
Licences are not transferable. Therefore if the licence holder needs to be changed, a new licence application and fee payment will be required.
If the proposed licence holder is not available to manage the property, it is advisable to appoint a local manager who is authorised to deal with emergency repairs and any issues concerning antisocial behaviour. If a company applies to be licence holder, they must nominate an appropriate person to hold the licence within that company. The named licence holder will be the person responsible for complying with all the licence conditions.
How long it takes to get a licence and the validity period
It may take up to 26 weeks after receiving your complete application to grant or refuse a licence. Timescales may vary depending on the number of applications we’re processing at the time.
This will be followed by a 14 day consultation period which gives you and all interested parties the chance to ask questions, challenge our decision or make comments. We will give you the notice of the grant or refusal of a licence, as well as a copy of the licence at the end of this consultation period.
Once you have a Selective Licence, it is valid until the end of the five year period that the scheme runs for.
Licences cannot be transferred to another person if you sell the property or the current licence holder dies. See our further information drop down boxes for more details on these scenarios.
Licence fees
The fee is broken down into two parts. Part A covers the costs associated with processing the licence application. Part B covers the cost of compliance actions relating to the scheme. Both parts are to be paid when the application is submitted. If a licence is rejected or otherwise not issued, only the Part B fee will be refunded.
All other applications for the duration of the Selective Licensing scheme becoming operative:
Part A fee = £538
Part B fee = £370
Total fee = £908
Other licensing schemes - Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Additional Licensing
Selective Licensing is not the only licensing scheme covering residential properties in Peterborough.
If your property is already licensed under one of the following schemes, you will not need a licence under the Selective Licensing Scheme.
If you have any queries about this, please contact housing.standards@peterborough.gov.uk.
Mandatory Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licence
If you own an HMO containing five or more persons, you must hold a Mandatory HMO Licence.
Apply for a Mandatory HMO Licence.
If you already have a Mandatory HMO Licence, you do not need to apply for a Selective Licence.
If you own an HMO containing three or four persons, which is inside the Selective Licensing designation area, you are required to hold a Selective Licence.
Additional Licensing
We will run a consultation into Additional Licensing in 2024. This scheme would cover all HMOs which contain three or four persons. We will provide further information on the consultation nearer the time.
Should an Additional Licensing Scheme come into effect during the lifetime of the Selective Licensing Scheme, your licence will be automatically passported across to the Additional Licensing Scheme.
Civil penalties
It is an offence for a landlord to rent a property in a designated area without applying for a Selective Licence. Landlords with unlicensed rented properties can face a financial penalty notice of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from the court. Landlords could also be ordered to repay up to 12 months' rent.
Further information
Information for overseas landlords
Contact
For enquiries on how to apply, please email info@home-safe.org.uk.
For enquiries to the council, please email selectivelicensing@peterborough.gov.uk.
