FAQs for Selective Licensing
If the answer to any questions you have aren't here, then please contact us and we'll do our best to assist you.
- email us: [email protected]
- telephone: 01493 846636
Which areas within Great Yarmouth will require a Selective Licence?
It will apply to privately rented properties in
- the whole of Nelson ward
- the whole of Central and Northgate ward
- the whole of Southtown and Cobholm ward
- the following streets in Yarmouth North ward
- the West side of North Denes Road
- Walpole Road
- Churchill Road
- Arundel Road
- Garfield Road
- the East side of Harley Road
- the South side of Hamilton Road
- the North side of Salisbury Road
How do I apply?
Applications will need to be completed online and will be managed by Home Safe Delivery Partners Ltd.
We will release full instructions about how to do this when the application process goes live.
Home Safe will also be offering online webinars in February and March for agents and landlords to explain the process. Dates will be published on this website when they have been confirmed.
What information will I need to provide?
You will need to upload the following documents:
- electrical safety certificates (EICR)
- gas safety certificates (where appropriate) and an EPC certificate
Before uploading these, you should ensure that they are in date. If the certificate indicates unresolved safety issues (e.g. C1 or C2 issues on an EICR), then you should ensure that these have been resolved and a new certificate obtained before uploading, to prevent delays to your application.
Other documents may be required, and this list will be updated if necessary.
When can I apply for a licence?
Currently, we expect to start accepting applications on 1 April 2026. If we can enable applications before that date we will, so please return to this page for further information about that.
How long do I have to make an application?
There is a legal requirement for eligible properties to be licensed from 1 April 2026. However, provided you have made a valid application (fully completed with required certification and accompanied by the Part A fee) the council will not take any action against you for not holding a licence.
Will also allow three months (until the end of June 2026) for landlords to make an application.
From 1 July onwards, if you have not applied, you risk being investigated for failure to license, which may result in a significant civil penalty being imposed on you.
How long will the licence last for?
Until the end of the scheme which will be 31 March 2031.
How much is the licence fee?
The fee is £694 per self-contained unit for a five-year licence. For clarity, a small house in multiple occupation which falls under the mandatory HMO licensing regime will count as one unit. Fully self-contained flats in converted buildings will count as individual units.
The fee will be split into two parts:
- part A is £200 and covers the cost of processing the application; if a licence is not granted or the application is withdrawn or was not valid, this fee is not refundable
- part B is £494 and will need to be paid before a licence is issued
If a licence is not granted for whatever reason, Part B will not need to be paid.
Can I pay in instalments?
No, the Part A fee must be paid at the time of application. The Part B fee will then be required before a licence is issued.
For large portfolio landlords (meaning landlords with 10 or more properties within the selective licensing area) who can provide evidence of difficulty making payments we will be happy to discuss how those difficulties may be resolved. This will be on a case-by-case basis and will only be offered in genuine cases of difficulty.
Landlords who think they may qualify for this should email us at [email protected].
Does the licence fee reduce for new applications made later in the scheme?
Yes, the Part A fee will remain the same, but the Part B fee will reduce monthly. However, the fee for a late application will be backdated to the date that the property was first let or the start of the scheme (whichever is the later).
Which properties require a licence?
All privately let properties within the designated area will need to be licensed with some exceptions.
These exceptions include:
- properties let by registered social housing providers (housing associations)
- the council's own properties and those let by other public authorities
- properties that require an HMO licence (HMOs with 5 or more occupants)
- properties where a temporary exemption notice is in force
- properties let on long leases (over 21 years)
- holiday homes
- properties that are occupied by a member of the landlord's family
- properties that are occupied by the landlord where any of the accommodation is shared with the tenant or licensee (e.g. a lodger)
- care homes and similar institutions
- business tenancies
What is a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN)?
A Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN) is used to notify the Council that a property, which is normally subject to licensing, does not require a licence because specific steps are being taken that temporarily exempt it from this requirement.
Examples of situations that may qualify for a TEN include:
- the property is for sale and will be empty when sold.
- the owner intends to live in the property themselves as a single home.
- the property is being converted to a different use (not residential).
The application should be completed by the person in control of or managing the private rented property which is required to be licensed. A separate form must be completed for every property that requires a temporary exemption. As part of the application, you will be required to provide the following information:
- details of the steps the landlord is taking to recover possession of the property
- the reasons for seeking possession
- details of any planned or scheduled court dates
- evidence of issuing your tenants a notice to quit the property, including dates issued / agreed
If your application is approved, a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN) will be issued which will exempt the premises from licensing for three months. In certain exceptional circumstances, the temporary exemption can be extended for a further three months. After that, there is no power to exempt the premises and the property must be licensed (if the property still remains licensable). The landlord must advise the council if an extension is required before the expiry of the first temporary exemption notice.
Please note that if the tenant remains in occupation beyond this period, a licence must be in place. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action under section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004.
Who should the licence holder be?
The proposed Licence Holder should be the most appropriate person to be the Licence Holder out of all the people who are available and must be a Fit and Proper Person. In general, the person having control of the Property is the most appropriate person to be the Licence Holder unless the contrary is shown.
People who are the subject of a current Banning Order served under section 16 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 will not be considered a fit and proper person to be the Licence Holder. Applications that identify a banned person for the role of Licence Holder will be refused by the council.
The Licence Holder should have adequate financial means to manage the property and undertake their responsibilities as a Licence Holder. They must also live in the UK and have a property address. No application will be accepted where any address is a care of or PO box address.
What licence conditions will I need to comply with?
The conditions relate to the management of a property in terms of its safety and it's letting, together with the day to day management of the property.
More information and guidance on complying with the Selective licence conditions.
How old is my ex-council property?
If you are a landlord of a council leasehold properties - i.e. council flats that have been bought under the right to buy and are unable to find out how how old the property is, please contact us
