Southend's landlord licensing scheme ends on 30 November. A replacement covering 5,685 rented homes could start in April 2027; consultation closes 31 December.
Southend’s licensing scheme for private landlords ends on 30 November, and its replacement could not start until April 2027 at the earliest. The council opened a consultation on the new scheme on Friday. It closes on 31 December (Southend-on-Sea City Council, 23 October).
Under selective licensing, landlords in set areas must hold a licence for each home they rent and meet conditions on its condition and management. The current scheme began on 1 December 2021 and covers neighbourhoods in Milton, Kursaal, Victoria and Chalkwell wards.
The council says “there will be a gap” between the old scheme ending and any new one starting. Its wider housing enforcement powers stay in place during that gap.
What the new scheme would cover
The council’s 103-page proposal names 12 small areas, all within the same four wards (Selective Licensing Scheme Proposal 2026):
| Proposed area | All of Southend | |
|---|---|---|
| Households | 11,155 | 78,360 |
| Privately rented | 5,685 | 20,759 |
| Share privately rented | 50.96% | 26.5% |
The highest share of renting is in part of Milton ward, where 65.56% of households rent privately, followed by part of Kursaal ward at 62.57%. The council calls the plans a renewal and expansion. The proposal’s appendix lists the streets, among them:
- Milton: Hamlet Court Road, Ceylon Road, Palmerston Road, Clifftown Road, Warrior Square, Queens Road, the High Street and Marine Parade
- Kursaal: Southchurch Avenue, Hartington Road, Woodgrange Drive, Burdett Road, Beach Road and Bournemouth Park Road
- Chalkwell: Ailsa Road, Britannia Road, Genesta Road, Grosvenor Road and Pembury Road
The Victoria ward heading in the street list has no streets under it. The proposal also says the map, not the list, decides whether a property is covered.
What the current scheme found
The council relies on an evaluation of the 2021 scheme. By August 2025:
- 4,394 licences had been issued
- 1,896 homes had received a first compliance inspection
- 1,689 housing hazards were found, none of them previously reported by the tenant
- 138 formal enforcement actions had been taken, up from 5 in 2021 to 48 in 2024
The current licence fee is £830 per home, paid in two parts of £208 and £622, for a licence of up to five years (selective licensing applications). The proposal does not yet put a figure on the new fee. It says the second payment would slide, so a licence issued late in the scheme would cost less than one issued in its first year.
What the council says
Cllr Daniel Cowan, the council leader, said: “Responsible landlords deserve a level playing field, without being undercut by those who neglect their properties or tenants.”
Cllr Irene Ferguson, cabinet member for housing, said the consultation would shape “the areas covered and how the scheme operates”, and that “no final decision on the new scheme has been made”. Cabinet will decide after the consultation.
What it means for you
- Landlords: the current scheme ends on 30 November. If a new one is approved, you would need a licence for each home you rent in the area. The council is working towards a start on 1 April 2027, subject to the consultation and approvals.
- Tenants: the end of licensing does not end your protection. Report disrepair to the council as before; its private housing team can still act on hazards.
- Have your say by 31 December on Your Say Southend. Check the proposal’s map if your street sits on the edge of the area.
Shared houses with five or more people are covered by separate mandatory HMO licensing, which is not affected. For planning rules on HMOs, see our report on the Woodgrange Drive HMO appeal.
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