If you let a property in Central Hove or Regency ward, you will need a selective licence from 20 October 2026. Brighton & Hove City Council estimates around 7,274 properties are affected, and letting without one, once required, is a criminal offence.
This is not a new scheme. Selective licensing has run in four other wards — Kemptown, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen’s Park, and Whitehawk & Marina — since September 2024. Central Hove and Regency are the next two of the council’s planned 13 wards to be brought in, following a designation notice published on 6 July 2026.
Applications open online on 20 October 2026. The licence itself costs £740. Apply after you’ve been letting the property for more than 28 days without one, and the fee rises to £840 — with no discount available on the late fee.
Do you need one?
If your property is a self-contained flat or house in Central Hove or Regency ward, let to one household, and it isn’t already covered by mandatory or additional HMO licensing, you almost certainly need a selective licence. It applies regardless of how many bedrooms the property has or how long the tenancy runs.
A handful of situations are exempt, set out in national legislation rather than council discretion:
- Registered social landlord or council-owned properties. Not affected by selective licensing.
- Business premises. Not covered.
- Genuine holiday lets. Short lets on a licence to occupy, rather than a tenancy, are generally outside the scheme.
- Agricultural tenancies and lettings to close relatives. Both exempt.
- Properties already licensed as an HMO. A single flat with three or more unrelated occupants may need an HMO licence instead — check which applies rather than assuming.
If you’re not sure whether your ward or your tenancy type is covered, the council’s Private Sector Housing team will confirm it directly, and it’s worth doing that before October rather than after.
What it costs, and how it’s structured
The £740 fee is split into two parts. Part A covers processing and validation, and is paid when you apply. Part B covers the ongoing running costs of the scheme, and is only requested once your application has been approved — you’ll get 10 working days to pay it before the licence is issued.
| On time | Late (28+ days unlicensed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard licence fee | £740 | £840 |
| Licence length | 5 years, expiring 19 October 2031 | |
| Discount for landlords with multiple flats in one block, same ownership | £50 off from the second flat onward | |
If you manage several flats in the same building under one ownership, it’s worth applying for all of them together — the per-flat discount only applies when they’re submitted this way.
What happens if you don’t get one
Letting a licensable property without a licence is a criminal offence. The council can prosecute, with an unlimited fine on conviction, or issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000 as an alternative to prosecution. Tenants can also apply for a Rent Repayment Order, potentially reclaiming rent paid while the property was unlicensed.
The council has said enforcement in the existing four wards has been active since the scheme launched, and it’s reasonable to expect the same in Central Hove and Regency once applications open. Letting agents can be held liable alongside the landlord, so if you use an agent it’s worth confirming in writing who is responsible for making the application.
How to apply
- Check your property’s ward. Central Hove and Regency have defined boundaries — don’t assume from the postcode alone, confirm against the council’s ward map.
- Gather your safety certificates. You’ll need a current gas safety certificate (if applicable), an electrical installation condition report, and evidence of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, ready to upload with the application.
- Review the licence conditions. The council publishes mandatory and discretionary conditions covering property management, safety, and tenant information — read these before applying so the property already meets them.
- Apply online from 20 October 2026. Applications go live on the council’s website on that date. Submitting early in the window reduces the risk of missing the 28-day cut-off before the late fee applies.
- Pay Part A, then Part B once approved. Keep an eye on your inbox for the Part B payment link — you only have 10 working days to pay it once the application is approved.
If you have several properties across different wards, it’s worth checking each one individually. Brighton & Hove now runs selective licensing in six wards, additional HMO licensing across the wider city, and mandatory HMO licensing everywhere — the rules that apply to one flat may not apply to another two streets away.
We can handle this for you
If licensing is one more thing on a list that already includes the Renters’ Rights Act changes from earlier this year, that’s exactly the sort of admin we take off landlords’ hands as part of our managed lettings service. We’ll confirm whether your property needs a licence, pull together the certificates, and submit the application on your behalf.
Not sure if your property is affected?
Tell us the address and we’ll check it against the designated wards, confirm what’s needed, and handle the application if you’d rather not deal with it yourself.
Check your propertyFigures and dates in this article: Brighton & Hove City Council, Notice of Designation of Areas for Selective Licensing 2026, published 6 July 2026, and the council’s selective licence fees, discounts and exemptions page, current as of September 2026. This is general information and not legal advice — please confirm your specific circumstances with the council’s Private Sector Housing team or take professional advice.