The Council carried out a consultation exercise between 10 September and 31 December 2020 on property licensing for private rented homes. This consultation exercise has now finished. This consultation was about renewing the additional HMO licensing scheme and the introduction of a selective licensing scheme to cover non HMO privately rented properties.

We have been operating an additional licensing scheme which covers all the HMOs (other than those already covered by mandatory licensing) in the city since 2011. An HMO is a property occupied by 3 or more persons forming 2 or more households.

These proposals have been considered due to the high levels of private rented homes in the city and the problems that often exist with poor conditions and home hazards within them.

We believe that the introduction of selective licensing and the renewal of the additional HMO licensing scheme is the most effective method of regulating and improving the conditions and management of properties in the private rented sector in the city.

Although the consultation has now closed, you can still read the Property licensing consultation detailed guidance.

The reports taken to Cabinet on 9 September 2020 to authorise the consultation are available below. These provide further information about the proposed schemes.

For more information on property licensing schemes, please see our Quick reference guide for property licensing page.

What happened after the consultation closed?

A report has been produced by ORS who undertook the consultation on our behalf:

The Cabinet carefully considered the report at a meeting on 10 March 2021 and decided to make a new designation for Additional Licensing for HMOs and make designations for Selective Licensing. To see the reports with details of the proposals, please see the following information:

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