Selective licensing is one of those landlord requirements that can be easy to overlook.
You may have owned the same rental property for years without needing a licence. Then the council introduces a new scheme and the position changes. Or you might own two properties only a few miles apart, with one requiring a licence and the other not.
So, do you need a selective licence for your rental property?
It depends mainly on where the property is and whether the local council has designated that area for selective licensing.
This guide explains how selective licensing works, how to check your property and what landlords across South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire need to be aware of.
What is selective licensing?
Selective licensing gives councils the power to require landlords in specified areas to obtain a licence before renting out a property. This is different from HMO licensing.
A normal family rental can fall within selective licensing. You could have a two-bedroom terrace occupied by a couple or a three-bedroom semi-detached house let to a family and still need a licence if the property sits within a designated area.
That is an important distinction. Selective licensing is not something that only concerns HMO operators or landlords with large portfolios.
How do I know if my property needs a selective licence?
There are three things to check.
1. Which council is responsible for your property?
Start with the local authority rather than the county or the nearest large town.
This matters particularly around the South Yorkshire and Derbyshire border. Chesterfield Borough Council and North East Derbyshire District Council, for example, are separate housing authorities even though their areas are geographically close.
2. Does that council currently operate selective licensing?
Not every council does. Where schemes are in place, they can cover a whole area or just selected neighbourhoods.
3. Is your actual property inside the licensing boundary?
This is where landlords can come unstuck.
Do not assume that every property in a town, postcode or even a particular street is included. Licensing boundaries can be very specific.
Where the council provides an address checker or map, check the individual rental property.
Selective licensing in Rotherham
Rotherham is particularly relevant at the moment because a new selective licensing scheme started on 15 February 2026.
It covers parts of:
- Eastwood, Clifton, Boston Castle and Rotherham town centre
- Masbrough and Kimberworth
- Thurcroft
- Dinnington
- Brinsworth
- Parkgate
The scheme is scheduled to run until February 2031.
If you have a privately rented property in one of these areas, don’t rely on the area name alone. Rotherham Council specifically advises landlords to check individual addresses because licensing boundaries do not necessarily include every property on a street or within a postcode.
For owner-managed landlords, this is worth checking sooner rather than later. You may have a long-standing tenant and no reason to make changes to the tenancy, but the introduction of the licensing scheme creates a new responsibility regardless.
What about Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster?
The picture changes as soon as you move into another council area.
Doncaster currently has selective licensing in Hexthorpe. Its present designation runs until 28 February 2027.
Sheffield has used selective licensing in the past, including areas around London Road, Abbeydale Road and Chesterfield Road, but those schemes have now ended.
This illustrates why it’s better to check current council information than rely on what you remember from a few years ago.
Schemes start and finish. Boundaries change. New areas can be proposed.
Barnsley landlords should follow the same approach and check the council’s current private rented housing information for the property concerned.
What about North East Derbyshire and Chesterfield?
For landlords operating south of Sheffield and Rotherham, another common source of confusion is the boundary between Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.
North East Derbyshire District Council covers places including Dronfield, Eckington, Killamarsh, Clay Cross, Wingerworth and a number of surrounding villages.
Chesterfield itself is covered by Chesterfield Borough Council.
That distinction matters because property licensing is administered by the relevant housing authority. Two properties within the same general local rental market can therefore be subject to different requirements.
If you own property across Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire, check each council separately and check again whenever you acquire another property.
The same applies if your portfolio stretches across the Derbyshire and South Yorkshire border.
I only own one rental property. Does selective licensing still apply?
It can do. There is no general exemption simply because you only own one rental property.
This catches some landlords by surprise because selective licensing can sound like something aimed at larger or more complex rental businesses.
In practice, it can affect:
- a first-time buy-to-let landlord
- someone renting out a former home
- an accidental landlord
- an experienced landlord with a portfolio of properties
If the property is covered by a selective licensing designation and no exemption applies, its owner may need a licence regardless of portfolio size.
Is selective licensing the same as an HMO licence?
No, these are different types of licence.
Selective licensing generally concerns privately rented properties within a specific geographical area.
HMO licensing concerns properties occupied as Houses in Multiple Occupation and is based on factors such as the number of occupants, the number of households and how the accommodation is shared.
A council may have no selective licensing scheme affecting your property while HMO licensing rules still apply.
Equally, a standard family let that is not an HMO can require a selective licence because of its location.
If the way a property is occupied changes, its licensing position is worth reviewing.
Are any properties exempt?
Yes, there are circumstances in which a property may be exempt from selective licensing.
These can include properties that require another form of licence and some specific types of tenancy or occupation. Temporary exemptions may also be available in certain situations.
The detail matters, though.
If you think your property is exempt, check the council’s criteria rather than assuming that an exemption applies.
What does having a selective licence involve?
A licence is not simply a registration exercise.
Licences come with conditions and landlords are expected to comply with them throughout the licensing period.
The detail varies between schemes, but conditions can relate to how the tenancy and property are managed, the information that must be retained and the standards expected of the licence holder.
Rotherham’s current scheme is a good example. The council states that conditions differ between some of its designated areas.
That makes it important to read the conditions issued for your own property rather than treating licensing as a one-off application that can then be forgotten about.
What happens if I should have a licence but don’t?
Operating a property without a required licence can lead to enforcement action.
Depending on the circumstances and the legislation in force, consequences can include financial penalties, prosecution and rent repayment orders.
There can also be wider implications when dealing with a tenancy.
The sensible approach is to establish the licensing position before a problem arises.
If you have recently bought a rental property or taken over the management of one, make licensing part of your initial compliance check.
Keeping track when you own more than one property
For a small portfolio landlord, things get more complicated when properties sit in different council areas.
Imagine owning one rental in Dinnington, another in Sheffield and a third in North East Derbyshire.
They may be relatively close geographically, but you cannot assume their licensing requirements are the same.
A simple property-by-property record can save a lot of uncertainty. For each rental, keep a note of:
- the responsible local authority
- whether selective licensing applies
- whether HMO licensing needs to be considered
- any licence number and expiry date
- key licence conditions
- safety certificate renewal dates
- inspection and maintenance records
It doesn’t need to be complicated. The important thing is that each property is considered individually.
How often should I check?
Checking when you first let or buy a property is sensible, but it shouldn’t necessarily be the last time you look.
Selective licensing schemes can be introduced during your ownership.
This is especially easy to miss if you manage the property yourself, have a good tenant and rarely need to make changes.
Keep an eye on announcements from the local council and review the position periodically, particularly if you hear that a new landlord licensing consultation is taking place locally.
Do I need a letting agent because my property is selectively licensed?
No. A landlord can manage a selectively licensed property themselves, provided they meet the relevant requirements.
For many owner-managed landlords, however, licensing forms part of a much bigger compliance workload.
There are inspections to arrange, maintenance issues to resolve, tenancy records to keep, rent to collect and changing landlord regulations to follow. Add different local licensing rules across several properties and it can take considerably more time than expected.
This is often where landlords start to reconsider how much of the day-to-day management they want to handle themselves.
A fully managed letting service can take care of much of the practical work involved in running the tenancy, including rent collection, inspections, maintenance coordination, tenancy administration and ongoing management.
Not sure what applies to your rental property?
Start with the local council responsible for the property and check the address against its current licensing information.
Don’t rely on a neighbouring property’s position, an old licence scheme or what applied when you first bought the house.
And if you have several properties, check them separately.
Bricknells Rentals works with owner-managed landlords, accidental landlords and portfolio landlords across South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire.
With more than 600 properties under management and over 27 years’ experience in the local rental market, we understand that landlords often want practical help rather than more paperwork. If managing your properties is becoming more time-consuming, or you would simply prefer more support with the day-to-day work involved, talk to our team about our landlord services and fully managed property service.