Ashfield: selective licensing in Stanton Hill and Sutton Central

Selective licensing is street-level

The selective scheme applies to private rented homes in designated parts of Stanton Hill and Sutton Central (New Cross), not automatically to every property in the wider district. The council says the scheme began on 25 July 2022 and is expected to run until 25 July 2027. Use the council's current scheme guide and boundary information before assuming a street is included or excluded.

Small HMOs are not automatically in an additional scheme

The official material reviewed does not confirm a current additional HMO designation. A three-person property can still be an HMO, but it is not automatically mandatorily licensable unless it reaches the five-person threshold. If a small HMO sits inside the selective area, check whether the selective scheme is the relevant licence route for that property.

Mandatory HMO fees are two-stage

A new mandatory licence for up to six tenants is displayed at £1,031.10, split into £618.66 on application and £412.44 at draft-licence stage. Each tenant over six adds £91.35, split between the two stages. A renewal is charged as the higher of £606 or £121 per tenant. Licences can run for up to five years.

The application deadline has consequences

Ashfield's HMO guidance says operating without a licence may lead to an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £30,000, together with a rent repayment order for the unlicensed period. Other official Ashfield material uses £40,000 wording for a civil penalty, so the sources conflict and no single maximum should be treated as definitive here. The council publishes an HMO register dated 4 August 2026, and a full register can be viewed by appointment or requested from Environmental Health Residential.

Planning proposals are not yet a planning direction

Ashfield's recent planning work includes a decision to appoint consultants and a motion seeking a future draft Article 4 direction. Those are preparatory steps, not an adopted HMO-specific direction. Do not treat them as a current ban on small-HMO conversions; check planning permission separately for the property you are considering.

Verify the current boundary, fees and HMO register via Ashfield District Council's selective licensing and private rented housing pages. Illustrative guide - schemes, dates and fees change; general information, not legal advice.