A record number of licensing schemes launched in the UK last year as councils took advantage of more relaxed rules.

Geospatial technology company Kamma tracked 22 new additional and 27 new selective schemes – a total of 49 - which puts 2025 ahead of any previous year. There were also 12 consultations last year, two of which are still ongoing, in Croydon and Telford & Wrekin.

In 2024, Kamma reported that 23 additional and selective schemes were launched.

A spokesman tells LandlordZONE that it doesn’t expect the pace to slow materially in 2026. “A lot of schemes introduced around 2020-2021 are now up for renewal, and councils are increasingly changing boundaries or conditions rather than rolling schemes over unchanged,” he explains. “Combined with the removal of Secretary of State approval, it’s much easier for councils to press ahead.”

Removed

A year ago, the government removed the requirement for councils to seek permission for schemes, regardless of their size.

Last month, Havering Council became the most recent local authority to announce its new extended selective and additional licensing schemes would launch in March. The London borough is replacing its selective scheme which only covered two wards with a new designation in seven wards while a borough-wide additional scheme will replace the existing HMO scheme which covered six wards.

Repeated

The government has repeated its insistence that licensing schemes will work alongside the new PRS Database. When asked recently whether they would duplicate the Database, Housing Minister Baroness said they had different purposes. She added: “Unlike the database, selective licensing schemes aim to target specific local issues by enabling more intensive proactive enforcement strategies.

“We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we develop the Private Rented Sector Database – refining the way the two systems work together.”

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