SELECTIVE LICENSING IN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham City Council introduced its selective licensing scheme in June 2023, covering 25 of the city's 69 wards. The scheme requires private landlords in designated areas to have a licence to rent out their property and aims to improve standards within the private rented sector by ensuring that rented properties are properly managed and maintained to a decent standard.

It also provides tenants with greater confidence that privately rented homes within the designated area are safe and suitable to live in.

Each licence costs £700 and lasts for a maximum of five years.

To find out if your property is within one of the 25 wards covered by the scheme and needs a selective licence, use Birmingham City Council's address checker:

A selective licence is not required if your property is:

• already licensed as an HMO
• managed directly by an educational establishment
• let by a registered social landlord such as a housing association

You can find a full list of exemptions on the UK legislation website.

Check if you need an additional HMO licence

If you fail to obtain a selective licence when one is required, you could face serious legal and financial consequences, including:

• a fine of up to £40,000 through a civil penalty notice (CPN)
• criminal prosecution, which can result in an unlimited fine
• a rent repayment order (RPO), requiring you to repay rent received from your tenants

You can apply for a selective licence yourself using the button below.

Alternatively, if Trueman Estates manages your property, we can apply for a licence on your behalf for an additional charge.

Further Information

Landlords must pay £700 for each property that requires a selective licence. There are no discounts for landlords with multiple properties. For example, if you own a block of flats in an area covered by the scheme, you will need a separate licence for each individual flat rather than one licence for the whole building.

A selective licence cannot be transferred to another person. If you sell the property, the new owner will need to apply for their own licence.

A selective licence is subject to a number of conditions, covering areas including health and safety, security and reducing anti-social behaviour.

For further information about selective licensing in Birmingham, including full guidance on the scheme and application process, please visit Birmingham City Council’s website.