Selective licensing in Scarborough Town from 1 June 2024

The scheme will come into effect on 1 June 2024 and be in place until 31 May 2029.

The scheme will require landlords who privately rent out properties in the designated area of Scarborough to get a licence from us. Landlords must meet a range of licensing conditions, including safety checks, and have appropriate management arrangements in place.

Landlords will be able to apply for a licence via a link on this page from Monday 3 June 2024.

Where does the scheme cover?

It covers part of Castle, Falsgrave and Stepney, and Northstead.

A full list of the streets covered

Apply online

Apply for a selective licence online.

Apply online

Fees

The fees are for the whole period of the selective licensing designation, which is for five years. Fees are based on the running cost and management of the overall scheme. There are a range of fees, which differ for single and multiple unit properties. There are also a range of discounts and penalties which relate to certain circumstances.

The licence fee is split into two payments.

The first payment is paid when the application is submitted to us and covers the cost of determining the licence. It is non-refundable if the application is not successful or you withdraw. This is a fixed amount of £180 and will apply to all licence types, no matter what the size of the property or whether it is subject to a discount.

The second payment is payable on your successful application but before the licence is issued - from when the draft licence is issued. The second payment is based on the type of property to be licensed and whether any discounts apply. The full licence will not be issued until the second payment is made in full.

There are three types of fees, depending on the type of building and ownership:

Single unit properties - these are dwellings which are single unit properties, which could be a house, or a self-contained flat or non-self contained flat. The standard fee of £695 applies and this requires only one licence.
Multiple unit properties where the landlord controls the freehold - where the landlord has the freehold of a block of flats a single licence will be issued for all the flats owned by the landlord plus the common parts of the building. The standard fee of £695 applies for the first flats plus £100 for each extra flat within the same building. So, if a landlord with the freehold owns four flats in the block, then the total licence fee will be £995 (£695 for the first flat and £300 for the other three flats). Where they apply discounts, these will be applied to the total cost of the licence.
Multiple unit properties where the landlord does not control the freehold - where the landlord owns multiple flats within a building but does not own the freehold, then each flat will require a separate licence. The licence fee for the first flat will be £695, and the licence fee for any extra flats in the block will be £100 for each extra flat. So, if a landlord who does not own the freehold owns three flats in the block, then they will pay a sum of £895 (£695 for the first licence and £100 each for the other two licences). Discounts will only be applied to the total cost of the flats to be licensed in the block and will not apply to each individual flat in the block, as the licence fee for the extra flats has already been substantially reduced.

Standard fees

Property type	Standard fee	Initial payment	Final payment
Single occupancy household	£695	£180	£515
Buildings containing flats where landlord owns the freehold - a single licence will be issued covering all flats controlled by the landlord	£695 for first flat, and £100 for each extra flat within the same building	£180	£515 for first flat, and £100 for each extra flat
Buildings containing flats where landlord owns more than one flat in a building without owning the freehold - each flat will need an individual licence	£695 for first flat, and £100 for each extra flat within the same building	£180	£515 for first flat, and £100 for each extra flat

Discounts

Properties previously licensed

Properties which were previously licensed within Scarborough North or Scarborough Central selective licensing designation and the licence holder is the same as previously can receive a £260 discount.

Membership of selected organisation discount

You can receive a discount of £50 if you are a member of:

National Residential Landlords Association
Eastern Landlord Association
SafeAgent
Association of Residential Lettings Agents
Propertymark

Early bird discount

You can receive a discount of £50 on all licence applications received and fully completed with all requested documentation by 31 August 2024.

Multiple applications discount

You can receive a £50 discount for each licence application after initial licence application. This does not apply to multiple licences in a block of flats where the landlord does not own the freehold of the block as a reduced fee of £100 already applies to these licences.

The council can only issue a single buildings licence when the landlord is in control of the whole building. Where a landlord owns more than one flat, but is not in control of the freehold, the council cannot issue a single licence for the whole building and must require individual licence applications for each flat.

Where applicable, all discounts can apply to the same licence application. In the case of multiple flats within the same building where the landlord is not the freeholder, the discount will only apply to the initial application.

This only applies where the licence holder is the same person or organisation that last held the licence during the previous licensing scheme.

Refunds are not normally granted should the licence be revoked or refused for any reason during the course of the licensing period. The only circumstances in which we would consider the refund of part of the licence fee is if the licence is revoked or refused before the council carries out an inspection of the licence. We will still charge for the processing and issuing of the licence and any other costs incurred up to the point that the licence is revoked or refused.

The fees shown on this page are only relevant to the scheme at the date of the beginning of the designation and shall be reviewed and increased every year in line with our Fees and Charges Policy.

Scarborough town area 4: selective licensing street list

Aberdeen Place
Aberdeen Street
Aberdeen Terrace
Aberdeen Walk
Albemarle Back Road
Albemarle Crescent
Albert Street
Alma Parade
Alma Square
Arundel Place
Bar Street
Barwick Street
Bedford Street
Belgrave Crescent
Belle Vue Parade
Belle Vue Street
Beulah Terrace
Blands Cliff
Blenheim Street
Cambridge Street
Castle Road - 1 to 93a odds and 2 to 110 evens - including Wilson Mariners homes
Clarence Place and Clarence Road
Clark Street
Clifton Street
Dean Road - 1 to 51 including Wheelhouse Square
Durham Street and Place
Eastborough
Elders Street
Falconers Road and Square
Falsgrave Road - 1 to 143 odds and 2 to 118 evens - including West Park Terrace
Fire Station Yard
Globe Street
Hanover Road
Harcourt Place
Hope Street
Hoxton Road
Howard Street
Huntriss Row
James Street
King Street
Leading Post Street
Market Street and Market Way
Marlborough Street and Terrace
Merchants Row
Mill Street
Morgan Street
Nelson Street
Newborough
New Queen Street
North Marine Road
North Street including Providence Place
Northway
Norwood Street
Oxford Street
Palace Hill and Palace Hill Lane
Pavilion Square and Terrace
Peel Terrace
Princess Square - 1 to 3
Prospect Place
Prospect Road - 1 to 39 odds only
Queen Street - 1 to 29 only
Queens Parade including Blenheim Terrace and Rutland Terrace
Queens Terrace
Regent Street
Roscoe Street
Sandringham Street
Sherwood Street
Silver Street
Stanley Street
St Helens Square
St Nicholas Street
St Thomas Street
Sussex Street
Swan Hill Road
Sydney Street
Tindall Street
Trafalgar Road
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Street West
Trafalgar Terrace
Union Street
Vincent Street
Valley Bridge Parade
Vernon Road - 1 to 6
Victoria Parade
Victoria Road
Victoria Street
Vine Street
West Square
Westborough
Westwood
William Street
Wrea Lane

List of exemptions

There are certain types of tenancies which will be exempt from selective licensing. These exemptions are:

properties which are either mandatory licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or additional licensed HMOs as per the council's current additional licensing scheme
a temporary exemption notice is in force - s.62 or s.86 Housing Act 2004
a management order is in force - s.102 or s.113 Housing Act 2004
the tenancies and licences are subject to a prohibition order whose operation has not been suspended - s.20 / s.21 Housing Act 2004
the tenancy is a business tenancy
certain premises licensed for alcohol consumption - only on-licences not off licences
certain agricultural tenancies
tenancies and licences granted by registered social landlords and housing providers
buildings controlled or managed by the local housing authority
buildings controlled or managed by the police
buildings controlled or managed by the fire service
buildings controlled or managed by the health service body
tenancies and licences regulated by other enactments - a full list of these can be found within 'The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) England Regulations 2006 lists'
certain university/college accommodation occupied by students
where the owner or their relatives occupy a property on a long leasehold
where the landlord lets to certain relatives
holiday homes
where the landlord/licensor or their relative lives at the property and shares facilities

Further information

For more details about the selective licensing scheme please read: