Selective licensing in Nottingham

What the designation says

Nottingham City Council operates its SECOND selective licensing scheme, which came into force on 1 December 2023 and runs until 30 November 2028 (5-year designation, confirmed by the Secretary of State on 26 July 2023). 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 . 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. 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. 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. 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. New Selective licence fees applied from 1 April 2025. Approximate fee per Selective Licence is £918 . 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Nottingham City Council Quality Housing for All team via nottinghamcity.gov.uk/qualityhousingforall.

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.

Nottingham's own licensing page →