Great Yarmouth Selective Licensing:

What Landlords Need to Know

If you own or manage a rental property in Great Yarmouth, you may need to apply for a Selective Licence. The council has published detailed guidance, but the volume of information can feel overwhelming. This blog breaks down the key points landlords and agents need to understand before the scheme goes live.

What Is the Selective Licensing Scheme?

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has introduced a Selective Licensing Scheme covering designated areas of the borough. The scheme applies to most privately rented properties in those areas and is designed to improve housing standards and property management.

If your property falls within the designated zone and is privately let, you will likely need a licence unless a specific exemption applies.

Which Properties Need a Licence?

A licence is required for all privately rented properties within the designated area, with some key exceptions, including:

• Properties let by housing associations or public authorities

• Properties already requiring a mandatory HMO licence (five or more occupants)

• Council‑owned properties

• Homes occupied by the landlord or their immediate family

• Properties with a valid Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN)

  
  

If none of these exemptions apply, your property will need to be licensed.

When Do Applications Open?

The council expects to start accepting licence applications from 1 April. While licensing is legally required from the start of the scheme, landlords who submit a valid application (including the required documents and Part A fee) will not face enforcement action while their application is being processed.

How Long Does a Licence Last?

Each Selective Licence will run until the end of the scheme on 31 March 2031.

How Much Does a Selective Licence Cost?

The licence fee is £694 per self‑contained unit, split into two parts:

• Part A – £200 (paid at application stage and non‑refundable)

• Part B – £494 (paid before the licence is issued)

  
  

If a licence is not granted, Part B does not need to be paid.

What Information Will Landlords Need to Provide?

When applying, landlords will need to upload key compliance documents, including:

• Gas Safety Certificate (where applicable)

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

• Other safety and compliance documentation as requested

  
  

All certificates must be in date, and any unresolved safety issues must be corrected before submission to avoid delays.

Free Landlord Application Workshops (Highly Recommended)

Date and location

• Assembly Room, Town Hall, Great Yarmouth

• Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 6pm to 7pm

To help landlords prepare for the new Selective Licensing Scheme, application workshops are being delivered by Home Safe, the council’s appointed delivery partner.

These sessions are designed to:

• Explain who needs to apply for a Selective Licence

• Walk landlords through what information and documents are required

• Provide practical guidance on completing the online application

• Reduce the risk of errors, delays, or rejected applications

  
  

Places can be booked online via Eventbrite, and spaces may be limited.

👉 Book a landlord workshop here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/selective-licensing-in-great-yarmouth-landlord-application-workshops-tickets-1982676900983

Attending a workshop is particularly useful if you are applying for the first time or managing multiple properties.

How Do Applications Work?

Applications must be completed online and are managed by Home Safe Delivery Partners Ltd. The council has confirmed that Home Safe will also provide guidance and support to landlords and agents throughout the process.

What Is a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN)?

A Temporary Exemption Notice can be issued if a landlord intends to take steps that would mean the property no longer requires a licence, such as selling the property. A TEN lasts three months, with a possible second three‑month extension in exceptional circumstances. Evidence is required.

Final Thoughts

Selective Licensing is a major change for landlords in Great Yarmouth. Submitting a complete, compliant application early and attending a landlord workshop if possible is the best way to avoid delays or enforcement action.

If you’re unsure whether your property is affected, start by checking the designated area and reviewing the council’s official FAQs.

Our Support Offer: Free Guidance for our members, Hands‑On Help by Appointment

We’ve been asked a lot lately: “Will you help landlords complete their Selective Licensing application?” The short answer is yes we will help our members but in a structured way.

As the deadline gets closer, demand for help will increase fast. We want to make sure landlords get the support they need without creating a bottleneck that overwhelms staff (or leaves people disappointed if we can’t squeeze them in).

Step 1: Free Support (Start Here)

Before anyone needs one‑to‑one help, we’re making sure the self‑serve options are clear and easy:

• Guides & blog posts: free, step‑by‑step help

• Online tutorial: Ill record a zoom on how to do this

• Group Q&A / Zoom support: free guidance and questions answered happy to organise this if there is demand.

  
  

This is the quickest route for most landlords it gets you moving without waiting for an appointment.

Step 2: Free “Check‑Over”

If you’ve completed your application but want reassurance, we will offer a booked “check‑over” service where we review what you’ve prepared and flag obvious gaps before you submit.

To keep it fair and manageable:

• This will be by appointment only

• We will apply a limit of 1 per landlord

• We’ll set clear availability and turnaround, especially near the deadline

Step 3: In‑Office Workstation Help (Appointment Only Chargeable Service)

For landlords who genuinely need practical help uploading documents and navigating the portal, we’re setting up an in‑office workstation where you can come in and complete your application with support from our team.

We will be charging £20/property upto 1hr.

This includes:

• Help uploading documents (e.g., gas safety certificate, EPC, other required files)

• scanning documents onto a computer to a submittable pdf

• Guidance through the online application steps

• Basic checks to ensure documents are complete and in date before submission

  
  

Important: This will be pre‑booked clinic slots, not drop‑ins to ensure we can set aside the time needed.

Where landlords want us to sit with them and complete multiple applications, or where significant one‑to‑one time is required, this will be offered as a chargeable service.

This is because one‑to‑one application support is time‑intensive and demand is expected to be very high within a short window. Providing this level of hands‑on help means allocating dedicated staff time to individual landlords.

We will continue to provide extensive free support including guides, tutorials, group sessions, and limited application checks to help as many landlords as possible. However, where landlords prefer a “done‑with‑you” approach or need help across multiple properties, charging allows us to offer that service fairly, reliably, and without delaying support for others.

In short, we’re committed to helping landlords apply correctly and on time but we also need to manage demand responsibly so the service remains available and effective for everyone.

Call to Action: Book Your Support Slot

If you want us to help you check your application or use the in‑office workstation, you’ll need to book in.

To book a slot:

• Email: info@easternlandlords.co.uk

• Call: 01603767101