Sheffield City Council has used selective licensing across targeted wards to drive up private rented standards. Inside a designated area, every private rented dwelling needs a licence. This guide explains where it applies and what landlords must do.
Designated wards
Page Hall, Fir Vale and others
~£700
Typical 5-year licence fee
£30,000
Max civil penalty per offence
12 months
Rent repayment exposure
Selective licensing under Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004 requires every private rented dwelling in a designated area to hold a licence. Sheffield has applied it to areas with concentrations of poor housing condition or anti-social behaviour.
Sheffield's selective licensing has covered:
Designations are time-limited; confirm current status on sheffield.gov.uk.
Sheffield selective licence fee around £700 for five years, with discounts for accredited landlords. Apply online, submit safety certificates and ownership evidence, pay the fee. Council may inspect.
Conditions: written tenancy agreement, Right to Rent checks documented, gas/electrical/alarm safety maintained, anti-social behaviour response procedure, property in repair.
Selective licensing continues unchanged. ASTs become assured periodic. PRS Database registration must include selective licence number. Unlicensed properties may have Section 8 possession refused. Rent Repayment Orders stack across licensing and RRA breaches.
Sheffield City Council's Private Housing Standards team handles selective licensing. Search "selective licensing" on sheffield.gov.uk for current designations.
Search "selective licensing" on sheffield.gov.uk and use the boundary tool. PropReady flags this automatically.
No. An HMO needs the HMO licence; a non-HMO in a selective area needs the selective licence.
NRLA accreditation typically delivers a discount on the licence fee.
No. Licences are personal and not transferable. The new owner must apply for a fresh licence.
No. Selective licensing continues unchanged.
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