Three different things called licensing
- Mandatory HMO licensing applies to larger HMOs everywhere in England
- Additional licensing extends that to smaller HMOs in a given council area
- Selective licensing can apply to ordinary single lets in a designated area
The third is the one that surprises people, because nothing about the property looks like it needs a licence.
Why we link to your council
Schemes are designated locally, they have start and end dates, and they change. Any national list is out of date somewhere. The property links to the council that actually decides, which is the only source that is right on the day you read it.
The cost of getting it wrong
Letting a licensable property without a licence is an offence, and it exposes you to a rent repayment order on top of any penalty. It also blocks possession routes while the property is unlicensed.