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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of selective licensing policy costs and outcomes; and whether they have been reviewed as part of HM Treasury’s regulatory action plan.

My Department has published revised guidance for local authorities in England on civil penalties, reflecting provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which can be found on gov.uk here

Licensing schemes are designed and determined locally, and local authorities have the discretion to charge fees which cover the cost of running these schemes. They are not expected to profit from licensing. We would expect local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination, transparent and readily accessible.