Selective Licensing in Birmingham

Birmingham City Council have proposed a licencing scheme for various areas in the city of Birmingham, due to come into force on 5th June. 

 

What is Selective Licensing?

This is a scheme where all private Landlords in a specific area must have a licence to rent out a privately-rented property.

This aims to improve the private rental market and ensure all properties meet a certain standard of living conditions. This gives tenants the peace of mind that the property they are renting is a safe and healthy place to be living in.

 

How will this affect Birmingham?

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have permitted or a Selective licensing scheme that will cover 25 of Birmingham's 69 wards, starting on the 5th June 2023 and will last for 5 years.

 

How to get ready

Where selective licencing applies, all Landlords must apply for a licence if they want to rent out a property. Birmingham City Council expect all Landlords to submit a licence application as soon as possible. Once this new licencing is in force, anyone who has control of, or manages a property that should be licence, but isn’t, is liable to prosecution.

It is expected that Landlords will be able to apply for a licence from 22 May 2023. Each licence will cost £700. (Subject to change).

This is what you’ll need to apply for a Selective licence:

•    The name and contact details of anyone with an interest in the property – including the owner, freeholder or mortgage company.
•    The date of birth of the person who will be the licence holder.
•    A floor plan of the property with measurements of all the rooms and their position in the property.
•    The current electricity installation inspection and test certificate 
•    The most recent gas safety certificate (if applicable)
•    A debit or credit card to pay the licence fee

 

Who is exempt from the scheme?

Properties licensed as a HMO, managed directly by an educational establishment and properties let by a registered social Landlord such as a housing association.
The new scheme will be enforced from the 4th of  September 2023 to give landlords in the affected areas time to apply.

The affected area are Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath West, Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Bordesley and Highgate, Bournbrook and Selly Park, Edgbaston, Gravelly Hill, Handsworth, Heartlands, Holyhead, Ladywood, Lozells, North Edgbaston, Small Heath, Soho and Jewellery Quarter, South Yardley, Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath, Sparkhill, Stockland Green, Tyseley and Hay Mills, Ward End, Yardley West and Stechford.

A copy of the notice of designation of an area for selective licensing can be found here.

 

We will provide more advice on selective licensing as more information is released and how we can help once we have completed the essential internal work and process agreements.

 

But if you would like to speak to our team in the meantime on any queries you may have then visit your local branch where our lettings teams will be happy to help.