Licensing in Stockton-on-Tees

• Selective licence

  In force

  Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council designation of areas for selective licensing of privately rented properties 2024 (Central Stockton, North Thornaby and Newtown)

  Area

  Three street-defined areas within 'parts of the wards of Stockton Town Centre, Ropner, Mandale & Victoria and Newtown' (designation wording): Central Stockton, North Thornaby and Newtown. The council's street lists (May 2024) name each road, and many roads are covered only for stated house-number ranges or one side (e.g. Yarm Road 1-93 odds and 48-108 evens; Langley Avenue 1-61 odds and 2-76 evens; Durham Road 3-135 odds and 58-126 evens), so no whole-road street list is recorded here. Check the address against the area map and street list, or ask the Selective Licensing team.

  Runs

  1 November 2024 to 30 October 2029. The council notice says it ceases to have effect on 31 October 2029

  Fee

  Published standard fee: £653

  Council fees page: standard application fee £178 per property plus an annual fee of £95 per property for each of the 5 years (total £653); late application £278 + 5 x £95 = £753 where the application is more than 28 days after the property becomes licensable or an incomplete application is not completed within 28 days. Discounts: £50 per property for accredited landlords (council scheme, PLuSS, NRLA or BLA) or £75 per property for council-scheme or full PLuSS members as of 31 May 2024 (not cumulative), both applied pro rata to the annual fee; £25 per property off the application fee after the first property for landlords with 2 or more properties. Page undated.

  Who needs one

  Any privately rented property in the designated areas that is not a licensable HMO or subject to a statutory exemption and is occupied under a tenancy or licence (designation paragraph 5). The council page: 'All privately rented properties within the proposed areas would need a selective licence', one licence per property.

  Exemptions

  Statutory exemptions; properties that need a mandatory HMO licence are excluded. Temporary Exemption Notices are available (council page).

  Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
  ›How we checked this

  Designation notice (linked from the council page as the 'Selective Licensing Notice'; its file name says 'Draft'): 'The designation was made on 16 May 2024 and will come into effect on 1 November 2024 and shall cease to have effect on 31 October 2029.' The cessation date is the day before the fifth anniversary, so ceases_on is recorded. It falls under the 2015 General Approval, so no Secretary of State confirmation was needed. The council page: 'The scheme was approved by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Cabinet on 16 May 2024 and will be introduced from 1 November 2024. The scheme will run for 5 years.' The 2023 consultation closed on 19 January 2024. The council pages still cite a £30,000 civil penalty; the current civil penalty policy uses the £40,000 Renters' Rights Act maximum.

  Sources

  • stockton.gov.uk: Selective Licensing
  • stockton.gov.uk: The purpose of Selective Licensing and who it applies to
  • stockton.gov.uk: Selective Licensing Notice Draft May 2024 new version (PDF)
  • stockton.gov.uk: selective licensing fees
  • stockton.gov.uk: Central Stockton Selective licensing May 2024 Accessible 1 (PDF)
  • stockton.gov.uk: North Thornaby Selective licensing May 2024 (PDF)
  • stockton.gov.uk: Newtown Selective licensing May 2024 (PDF)

• Mandatory HMO licence

  In force

  Mandatory HMO licensing (Stockton-on-Tees fees)

  Area

  Whole borough of Stockton-on-Tees (national scheme).

  Fee

  Not yet confirmed

  Council HMO page: basic application fee £250 per unit of accommodation (a bedsit room, a self-contained flat within the property, or a bedroom in a shared house or flat); renewal £250 per unit; adding units £250 per unit; adding an owner £50; no charge to vary. Accredited landlords get £50 off per unit on application and renewal fees. A five-unit HMO would therefore pay £1,250 (or £1,000 accredited).

  Who needs one

  Properties rented to five or more people who are not from the same household but share rooms such as a bathroom or kitchen.

  Exemptions

  Temporary exemptions of 3 months (with a possible secondary exemption, up to 6 months in total) where the owner intends to stop renting or reduce occupants.

  Apply on the council’s website
  ›How we checked this

  Before applying the property must have the correct planning permission and meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. The register can be viewed by appointment at Dunedin House, Thornaby. The site blocks automated requests (Cloudflare) and was read in a browser. Properties needing a mandatory HMO licence are excluded from selective licensing.

  Sources

  • stockton.gov.uk: hmo licence
  • stockton.gov.uk: landlord accreditation

Council source

Stockton-on-Tees's civil penalty policy

We found no consultations when we researched Stockton-on-Tees.

We could not settle these points when we researched Stockton-on-Tees. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

• Not yet confirmed

  Selective licensing areas are defined street by street with house-number ranges; exact coverage of an address needs the council map and street list.

• Not yet confirmed

  No additional HMO licensing scheme was found: the council's HMO and selective licensing pages describe only mandatory HMO and selective licensing.

• Not yet confirmed

  The HMO licence term and the selective licence term are not stated on the council pages fetched.

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Stockton-on-Tees is in North East, where registration is planned from 15 June 2027 to 14 September 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register