Selective licensing in North East Lincolnshire
Yes. North East Lincolnshire operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
What the designation says
North East Lincolnshire operates a selective licensing scheme in the East Marsh ward of Grimsby. The council formally designated it on 8 October 2025, it came into force on 8 April 2026 and it remains in force until 7 April 2031. Selective licensing applies to privately rented homes generally, not only to shared houses, so an ordinary house or flat let to a single household within the designated ward needs a licence. The fee is £1,000 across the five-year period, charged in two parts of £600 and £400, reduced to £725 for accredited landlords. The designation covers one ward rather than the borough, so an address should be checked against it rather than assumed from a Grimsby postcode. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and a section 21 notice that cannot be served while the property is unlicensed. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with North East Lincolnshire before letting.