Our Specialism
Selective licensing, handled properly.
Selective licensing can create significant administrative, operational and financial exposure across a property portfolio. We help landlords understand their obligations, prepare applications, resolve compliance gaps and maintain oversight throughout the licence period.
What it means for landlords
A regulatory obligation that compounds across a portfolio.
Do the schemes apply?
Selective licensing is designated street-by-street and area-by-area by individual councils. The first question is always whether your specific addresses fall within a designated area.
A licence per property
Where a scheme applies, most privately rented homes in the area require a licence — held by the right person, with the correct details and fee, before letting continues lawfully.
Conditions attached
Licences carry conditions covering safety, management, occupancy and property standards. Meeting and evidencing them is an ongoing obligation, not a one-off application.
Real consequences
Operating an unlicensed property where a scheme applies can lead to financial penalties, rent repayment orders and restrictions on possession. The exposure compounds across a portfolio.
How we help
End-to-end support, from applicability to oversight.
We coordinate each stage so applications are accurate, evidenced and defensible — and so nothing slips once a licence is in place.
- Initial portfolio and property assessment
- Scheme applicability checks
- Application preparation
- Evidence and document collation
- Property compliance reviews
- Licence condition tracking
- Remediation planning
- Ongoing compliance support
- Liaison and preparation for council enquiries or inspections
Where we work
Focused on Lancashire & the North West.
Common questions
What is selective licensing?
Selective licensing is a power available to local councils under the Housing Act 2004 that requires most privately rented properties in a designated area to hold a licence. It is used to raise property and management standards in the private rented sector.
How do I know if my property needs a licence?
Designations are specific to defined areas and streets and change over time. Whether a licence is required depends on the exact address and the current designations made by the relevant council. We check applicability across your whole portfolio as a first step.
What happens if a property is unlicensed?
Letting a property that requires a licence without one can expose a landlord to financial penalties, rent repayment orders and limits on the ability to regain possession. Acting early to regularise the position materially reduces that risk.
Do you handle the whole process?
Yes. We support landlords through applicability checks, applications, evidence collation, compliance reviews, condition tracking and ongoing oversight, and we liaise with councils on your behalf where appropriate.
This information is general and does not constitute legal advice. Selective licensing designations and requirements vary by council and change over time.
Find out where your portfolio stands
We'll check selective licensing applicability across your properties and set out a prioritised view of what to address first.