Landlords in Regency and Central Hove will need a licence from 20 October

From 20 October, private landlords in the Regency and Central Hove wards will need a licence from Brighton & Hove City Council^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8} to rent out a home. The council estimates that up to 7,274 properties will need one.

The scheme covers homes let to one occupier, two occupiers or a family. HMOs licensed under the council’s mandatory or additional HMO schemes are not included. Homes let by a registered social landlord are exempt.

Selective licensing started in Kemptown, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen’s Park and Whitehawk & Brighton Marina on 2 September 2024. The council says it is meant to make sure rented homes are safe and in good condition, that damp and disrepair get fixed, and that landlords follow gas, electricity and fire safety rules.

What the first wards showed

By the time of the council’s interim review, the first scheme had received 5,114 applications, not counting 163 incomplete ones. That is close to the estimate of around 5,500 licensable properties in those four wards, made when the scheme was being developed. The council had made 759 inspection visits, and around 26% of inspections found Category 1 or Category 2 hazards, such as damp and mould, excess cold or missing fire safety measures, that needed follow-up with landlords. The energy rating had improved at 370 licensed properties.

At the time of the review, full licences had been issued for 27% of applications and draft licences for 54%, and inspections stood at 15% of the council’s target of visiting every licensed property. Five technical officers joined the team in 2025. A full review is due in 2029.

Councillor Gill Williams, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “With nearly a third of households in Brighton & Hove privately rented, we know this has the potential to have a huge impact on people, the quality of their housing and the security they feel.”

For landlords and tenants

A licence costs £740, paid in two parts: £518 when you apply and £222 once it is approved. There is a £75 discount for accredited landlords, for homes rated EPC C or above, and for registered charities, up to a maximum of £150. Applying more than 28 days after a licence is needed adds £100.

Renting out a licensable home without a licence can bring a penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution, and a tenant can apply for up to 24 months’ rent back.

Tenants can check the council’s property licensing register, which lists homes once a full licence has been issued. The Private Sector Housing team can be contacted to report an unlicensed property or with questions about an entry on the register.