Landlord licensing and compliance in Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth's selective licensing scheme began on 1 April 2026 and is designated to run to 31 March 2031 unless revoked, covering named wards and specified streets in Yarmouth North. Qualifying HMOs also need mandatory licences. The council's accessible HMO fee schedule is for 2025/26 and should not be treated as current 2026/27 pricing.
Selective licensing began in April 2026
The council's designation was made on 10 December 2025 and runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031 unless revoked. It covers named wards and specified streets in Yarmouth North. Use the council's address checker and designation map to establish whether a property is included; a ward-level summary is not a substitute for checking the exact street.
Mandatory HMO licensing and fees
Great Yarmouth says qualifying HMOs need a mandatory licence and that these are typically granted for five years, although shorter terms may apply. Its published HMO schedule is labelled 2025/26 and lists £855 Part A plus £390 Part B for a new application, and £849 for a Standard 5 renewal. These are superseded fee-year figures, not confirmed 2026/27 charges. The selective FAQ page was available, but its expandable fee and instalment answers did not load; the displayed £694 selective fee was not verified.
Article 4 and enforcement
A borough-wide C3-to-C4 Article 4 Direction took effect on 24 September 2012, except in the Broads Authority executive area. The council's designation notice describes prosecution or civil penalties, possible rent repayment orders and restrictions on section 21 for unlicensed properties. The HMO register page labels its data as at 1 June 2025, so confirm later changes directly.
Sources: Great Yarmouth Borough Council HMO guidance and register, local licences, selective scheme, FAQ, designation notice, Article 4 information and enforcement policy. Confirm current HMO and selective fees, additional licensing status and address coverage with the council. Illustrative guide - scheme boundaries and dates change; general information, not legal advice.
Renewal tracked from expiry, reminders from 60 days out, proof of service to tenants logged. Knows the 2-month early-renewal rule that keeps your date fixed.
Five years goes quicker than you think. Kept remembers so you don't have to - including the 28-day duty to give tenants a copy.
Expiry tracked from the certificate details you confirm - band E is the current minimum for most domestic private lets unless exempt, and proposed changes are flagged only when they become law.
30-day protection window tracked from the day the money lands - not the tenancy date - with prescribed information logged.
Check dates and follow-up dates for time-limited permissions, stored against each tenant.
Smoke alarms every storey, CO alarms where required, checked and dated at the start of every tenancy.
A one-off duty for tenancies that existed on 1 May 2026. Who was served, when, and how - the £7,000 question, answered with a dated record.
Preparation and export support for the future official registration process - clearly marked as planned.
Selective licensing (ordinary lets): YES - designated areas, 1 Apr 2026 to 31 Mar 2031. See the local picture above - every other duty applies exactly as it does nationwide.
Add a postcode and Kept resolves the council, location and local context automatically.
Planned preparation and export support for the government's regional PRS Database rollout.