Landlord licensing in Nottingham

Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.

Fee: £1,100

SCHEME OVERVIEW: Nottingham City Council operates its SECOND selective licensing scheme, which came into force on 1 December 2023 and runs until 30 November 2029 (6-year designation). It replaces the FIRST scheme which ran from 1 August 2018 to November 2023, covering over 30,000 rental properties — at launch the largest selective licensing scheme in England (source: nottinghamcity.gov.uk/qualityhousingforall and slaterandbrandley.co.uk reporting on Nottingham scheme history). DESIGNATION CHANGES FROM SCHEME 1 TO SCHEME 2: The 2023 designation covers a different and slightly REDUCED area compared with the 2018 scheme. Areas removed from the second scheme include parts of Clifton. Some wards covered under the 2018 scheme are no longer in the 2023 designation. Use Nottingham's MyProperty portal at geoserver.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/myproperty/ to check whether a specific address is in the 2023 designated area. WHO NEEDS A LICENCE: All privately rented properties in the designated wards regardless of the number of occupants — single lets, family lets, single-occupant lets. A licence is required from 1 December 2023. EXEMPTIONS: Properties already licensed as Mandatory or Additional HMOs do not separately need a Selective Licence. Properties managed by Housing Associations, Nottingham City Housing Services, and certain other regulated housing providers are exempt. Statutory exemptions under the Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006 also apply. LICENCE PASSPORTING: If a new designation is introduced in future, all licences that have not expired will automatically passport into the new scheme. Landlords with valid licences from the 2018 scheme that ran into the 2023 scheme were similarly transitioned without needing to reapply until expiry. FEES: New Selective licence fees applied from 1 April 2025. Approximate fee per Selective Licence is £918 (source: kammadata.com/uk-property-guide/property-licensing-guide-for-nottingham, citing council fee schedule July 2025). Two-part fee structure (Part A on application, Part B on grant before licence is issued). Discounts available for accredited landlords (Nottingham Rental Standard, DASH, Unipol). The "less compliant fee" applies where the council has identified prior compliance issues — this is higher and supersedes accredited or standard fees. Verify current fees at nottinghamcity.gov.uk and on the published Selective Licence Fees 1 April 2025 document. NON-UK LANDLORDS: Cannot qualify for a licence directly. Must appoint a UK-resident managing agent who becomes the licence holder. Nottingham assesses overseas landlord arrangements case-by-case. LICENCE CONDITIONS: Health and safety, fire precautions, gas safety, electrical safety (EICR), structural condition, management arrangements, anti-social behaviour management, written tenancy agreements, prompt response to tenant complaints. Public liability insurance is also expected. Landlord training is mandatory under the scheme conditions — Nottingham specifically references training delivered by approved providers including EMPO online training. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: Annual gas safety certificate, EICR (5-year electrical inspection), EPC, PAT test certificates for portable appliances, public liability insurance certificate, evidence of landlord training, written tenancy agreements, fit and proper person declarations. TEMPORARY EXEMPTION NOTICE (TEN): Available where the property owner is taking active steps to make the property non-licensable (selling, changing use, moving in themselves). Valid for 3 months with possible 3-month extension in exceptional cases. Owner must show clear intent and progress. After expiry if the property still needs a licence, a full application must be submitted immediately or enforcement action may follow. ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES: Operating an unlicensed property in a designated area is a criminal offence. Civil financial penalty up to £30,000 per offence. Unlimited fine on conviction. Rent Repayment Orders for up to 24 MONTHS' rent under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (Nottingham explicitly references the 24-month figure). Section 21 notices invalid; from 1 May 2026 no-fault possession grounds also unavailable. Banning Orders for repeat offenders. Listing on the National Rogue Landlord Database. ENFORCEMENT TRACK RECORD: Nottingham has a strong active enforcement record from the 2018-2023 first scheme. Application fees are explicitly ringfenced to fund enforcement activities. The council has additional staff dedicated to identifying unlicensed properties. CONTACT: Nottingham City Council Quality Housing for All team via nottinghamcity.gov.uk/qualityhousingforall.

Areas: City-wide - all privately rented properties

Fee: £650

Scheme runs until: 30 November 2028

SCHEME OVERVIEW: The 'Nottingham City Council Designation of an Area for Additional Licensing 2024' came into force on 1 January 2024 and applies CITYWIDE to all areas of Nottingham. It replaces the previous Designation 2019 which came into force on 1 January 2019. The current scheme runs for 5 years from 1 January 2024 (source: nottinghamcity.gov.uk/information-for-residents/housing/private-rented-accommodation/information-for-landlords/licensing-for-landlords/additional-licensing and the Housing Licensing Fee Policy April 2025 PDF on the council website). LEGAL BASIS: Designation made under section 56 of the Housing Act 2004. Since the General Approval came into force on 23 December 2024, councils may now introduce schemes of any size locally without Secretary of State confirmation, but the existing Nottingham additional designation predates this and was made under the previous approval framework. WHO NEEDS A LICENCE: All non-mandatory licensable HMOs in the city must have an HMO Licence where they are occupied by 3 or more persons living in 2 or more separate households AND where they meet the tests under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004 (standard test, self-contained flat test, or converted building test). Mandatory HMO licensing (5+ persons) applies separately and continues to apply citywide. ANUK EXEMPTION: Where an HMO falls to be licensed under Nottingham's Additional Licensing Scheme but is also a building registered with the Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) National Code, it is EXEMPT from the requirement to licence under the city scheme. Check ANUK registration at nationalcode.org/nottingham. This exemption is specific to Nottingham and is unusual — most councils do not recognise ANUK registration as a substitute for licensing. FEES: Two-part fee structure (Part A on application, Part B on grant). Standard fees apply with discounts for landlords accredited under the Nottingham Rental Standard, DASH Accreditation Services, or Unipol Student Homes. A "less compliant fee" applies where the council has identified previous compliance issues — the less compliant fee is higher AND it supersedes the standard or accredited fee for both Part A and Part B once applied. This is an unusual fee structure that explicitly penalises landlords with prior enforcement history. Verify current fees on the published Housing Licensing Fee Policy April 2025 PDF at nottinghamcity.gov.uk/media/elrnn0f5/ncc-housing-licensing-fee-policy-april-2025.pdf. LICENCE CONDITIONS: Comprehensive — including fire safety, gas safety (annual certificate), electrical safety (EICR), amenity standards (rooms sizes, kitchen and bathroom provision per occupant), management standards (anti-social behaviour, waste, written tenancy agreements), and the requirement that the licence holder pass a fit and proper person test. Refer to the Council's published amenities guidance documents and HMO Licensing Handbook April 2025 PDF. PLANNING IS SEPARATE: Nottingham City Council is BOTH the Local Housing Authority and the Planning Authority. The licensing team and planning department work closely together, but a HMO licence does NOT automatically grant planning permission and vice versa. If you have planning permission to convert from C3 (single dwelling) to C4 (small HMO) you still need a separate HMO licence. Officers will check planning status as part of the licence determination but it does not affect whether the licence is granted. LICENCE PROCESS: An officer determines the licence by considering the application against the Housing Act 2004 tests including whether management arrangements are satisfactory and the licence holder is fit and proper. Before granting or refusing, the officer serves a proposal on each relevant party giving them 14 days to make representations. ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES: Operating an unlicensed HMO is a criminal offence under section 72(1) of the Housing Act 2004. Civil financial penalty up to £30,000 per offence. Unlimited fine on conviction. Rent Repayment Orders for up to 24 MONTHS' rent under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (note: Nottingham explicitly references the 24-month figure on its tenant-facing pages, this is the strengthened RRO under the 2025 Act). Section 21 invalid where unlicensed; from 1 May 2026 the no-fault possession grounds under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 are similarly unavailable. Banning Orders also possible for repeat offenders. CONTACT: Nottingham City Council Property Licensing team via the council licensing portal at nottinghamcity.gov.uk/qualityhousingforall.

Areas: City-wide - all HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants forming 2 or more households

Fee: £650