Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the level of selective licensing fees charged by each local authority with such a scheme; and what the average fee is in England.

Local authorities set fees for their selective licensing schemes based on a number of factors including the set-up costs of the scheme, the cost of assessing applications and issuing licences, and the cost of inspecting properties where necessary.

The government expects local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination to be transparent and readily accessible. Money raised through enforcement sanctions should be used to enforce high standards in private rented properties.

Selective licensing and the Private Rented Sector Database have different purposes. The database is not designed to replace selective licensing. Selective licensing schemes aim to target specific local issues by enabling more intensive proactive enforcement strategies. Selective licensing is a valuable tool enabling local authorities to drive better outcomes for local residents, tenants, and responsible landlords. We will continue to review the use of selective licensing as we develop the Private Rented Sector Database and will look to refine the way the two systems work together including through sharing data.