WHAT IS SELECTIVE LICENSING?

Selective Licensing was introduced by Leicester City Council in October 2022

Initially it applies to limited wards in Leicester: parts of Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, Westcotes, Stoneygate, and Saffron

The Council applied a light-touch approach to securing landlord compliance for 18 months, to April 2024. Fines were not applied and discounts were available

The softer approach has now ceased:

• door-knocking is taking place to identify owners of rented properties
• the Council is actively pursuing Rent Repayment Orders 
• Some extremely heavy letters threatening big fines are now being received

So, if you haven't already, it's time to act if you are in one of the affected areas.

This app is designed to guide you and help secure your license 

📌 ABOUT THE SELECTIVE LICENSING READINESS CHECK 

A quick way to see if your property is ready for Leicester’s Selective Licensing scheme

1️⃣ Location Check – As a landlord are you affected?
2️⃣ Fees & Payment – Understand the costs (and penalties).
3️⃣ Required Documents – Highlight what you need to have in place
4️⃣ Score your readiness:

• 100 points = Fully ready
• 90-99 = Mostly there, but gaps to fix
• 60–89 = Risky – issues likely to cause rejection/fines
• Below 60 = High risk – you need urgent action

We should tell you, although the license application process is relatively straightforward if you have some hours available and every required document to hand, it's a reasonably significant task for many landlords. At Northwood Leicester we have a dedicated process and a lot of expertise in exactly what the Council are looking for: so, at any point, if you’d rather skip the form and hand the process over to us, just click to

BOOK A CONSULTATION

📌 BEFORE YOU START...

You may be wondering if this is all that important to bother with. After all, you might think landlords already have many issues to contend with and this is "just a council wheeze".

PLEASE THINK AGAIN...

The penalties for non-compliance with securing a Selective License are potentially incredibly painful:

💰 RENT REPAYMENT ORDERS

...a court-ordered requirement to repay every penny of the rent you've received for up to the past twelve months (read our information page at the end of the app)

💰 FINES

...first-offence fines of potentially £5000, and serious or multiple offence fines of up to £30,000

IT'S VITAL TO ENGAGE WITH THIS TOPIC, NO MATTER HOW ONEROUS IT FEELS

Is Your Property in a Selective Licensing Area?

Not all properties in Leicester require a Selective Licence. You should verify your property’s status before proceeding.

📍 Click here to check if your property requires a licence.

ALL rented properties within the blue shaded areas require a Selective License. Simply zoom in and out to find the street(s) that relate to property you own and rent out.

📋 Register for MyAccount - Leicester City Council

Before applying for a Selective Licence, you must create an account with Leicester City Council’s MyAccount portal.

✅ Apply for your licence online

✅ Upload required documents

✅ Make secure payments

📌 Click here to register for MyAccount

📌 THE FIT AND PROPER PERSON DECLARATION IS MANDATORY

The Fit and Proper Person Declaration ensures that landlords and property managers meet the required legal and ethical standards to hold a Selective Licence.

📌 You must apply for and receive a Fit & Proper Person Declaration Number

📌 Your declaration number is valid for 3 months. If expired, you must reapply.

📌 If you fail the test, your application may be rejected.

This is not part of this readiness check — it involves your personal background and must be declared directly to the Council.

The following pages outline the five-step process to make your declaration

1️⃣ Access the Fit and Proper Person Declaration Form

• Log in or register for a MyAccount with Leicester City Council:
  🔗 Register/Login to MyAccount
• Navigate to:
  Planning and Licensing → Licensing → Fit and Proper Person Declaration.

2️⃣ Declare Your Role in the Application

You must confirm whether you are:
✅ A Licence Holder (the person applying for the Selective Licence).
✅ A Property Manager (responsible for managing the property).
✅ Acting on behalf of a company or another party.
If representing a company, declare this during the process.

3️⃣ Complete the Fit and Proper Person Questionnaire

Answer background check questions, which typically include:
✅ Criminal Convictions – Have you ever been convicted of housing-related offenses?
✅ Previous Housing Issues – Have you ever been refused a landlord licence before?
✅ Breach of Landlord Laws – Have you failed to comply with housing regulations in the past?
✅ Involvement in Unlawful Evictions – Have you been responsible for illegal evictions or harassment of tenants?
✅ Court Orders or Prohibition Notices – Have you been issued any improvement notices or legal penalties?
If you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, it does NOT automatically mean failure; the Council will assess your suitability on a case-by-case basis.

4️⃣ Accept the Fit and Proper Person Declaration Statement

You must tick all required checkboxes to confirm that:
✅ You understand and comply with the required landlord responsibilities.
✅ The information provided is accurate and complete.
✅ You acknowledge that Leicester City Council may check other records to verify your suitability.

5️⃣ Submit the Declaration & Receive Your Unique Reference Number

Click "Submit" at the bottom of the declaration page.
You will receive a unique declaration number – MAKE NOTE OF THIS.

📌 Important: This number is valid for 3 months – if expired, you must reapply.

Go back to your Selective Licensing application and enter the declaration number.

📢 Required Notifications – Who You Must Inform

As part of your application, you must notify certain parties in writing that you are applying for a Selective Licence:

🏦 Mortgage lender

🏠 Property Freeholder / Head Leaseholder (if applicable)

👥 Other Tenants or Leaseholders

📜 The Proposed Licence Holder & Property Manager

🏢 Any Business or Company Holding an Interest in the Property

💰 Understanding Selective Licensing Fees

Leicester City Council requires the licensing fee to be paid in two parts, based on legal rulings in the Hemming and Gaskin cases

• Part A Fee - Covers processing, background checks, and property inspections, and drafting the licence.

• Part B Fee - Covers issuing the final licence, compliance monitoring, and maintaining the public register.

💳 Payment must be made by debit card only. Late applications incur a penalty that increases the overall cost to £1,290 (this is now the base cost as all applications now are regarded as "late")

📋 Information Section: What is an RRO?

⚠️ RENT REPAYMENT ORDER (RRO) – What Landlords Need to Know
The Housing and Planning Act 2016 allows tenants or local councils to apply for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) against a landlord who rents out a property without a Selective Licence.

If an RRO is granted, landlords may be forced to repay up to 12 months’ rent to their tenants or repay housing benefit to the council. This applies even if the landlord was unaware of the need for a licence!

Under the Renters Rights Act 2025, this repayment order can rise to 24 month's rent!

Common Misconceptions:
❌ "The Council won’t find out" – Leicester City Council is actively identifying unlicensed rentals.
❌ "It’s just a fine" – It’s worse: an RRO can force full rent repayment, not just a penalty.
❌ "I can apply later" – If an RRO claim is made before you apply, you could still lose thousands in rent repayments.

DRUMROLL...

🏆 Your Selective Licensing Readiness Score is being calculated 

Whatever your outcome, make contact for added advice and tips

• No agent in Leicester has more experience (and better contacts with the Council to resolve your application) than Northwood
• We have engaged with hundreds of landlords in the process of securing Selective Licenses
• You can read our helpful blogs here

📥 Make an appointment for a FREE consultation  

📲 WhatsApp our Selective Licensing lead Gosia Prazeniak direct 

 07594 476403   

🏆 Your Selective Licensing Readiness:

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 🚦 Your Risk Level:

• 🏆 90-100: Highly Compliant 
• You are about ready to apply! But check your bespoke report for the details of where things could be tightened up.

• ⚠️ 60-89: Moderate Compliance 
• Some corrections needed before submitting your application. Your bespoke report will assist you in dealing with shortfalls in your application.

• 🔴 Below 60: High Risk 
• You have critical compliance gaps that must be addressed. We recommend contacting us for assistance with the process.

 📥 Your Custom Compliance Report is now ready 

Simply drop your details below to receive vital guidance and tips 

Or make an appointment for a FREE CONSULTATION about your rental

THANKS FOR USING THE READINESS CHECKER

We are completing applications for landlords on a daily basis. We know even the smallest nuances that can delay or trip up what may seem like a simple application.

We are also in regular contact with Leicester City Council, handling inspections, and dealing with problems.

All our experience is available to guide you or to undertake the complete process for you - get in touch today.

📞 Speak to Our Selective Licensing Experts
Our team at Northwood Leicester has helped many landlords secure compliance and avoid costly mistakes.

📲 WhatsApp: 07594 476403

📧 Email: leicester@northwooduk.com

🌐 Web: Selective License Application page