Landlord Licensing Guide

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has a live landlord licensing scheme

Metropolitan · North West · Last researched 2026-08-29

Selective licensing in Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

🔴 IS LIVE NOW

Selective licensing 2023-2028; runs 2023-03-01 to 2028-02-29; coverage: partial

Designated areas: Derby, Linacre, Litherland. Partial-coverage schemes only apply on specific streets — check the council's own boundary map for your exact address.

Medium confidence — sourced from a licensing data aggregator, not independently re-verified on the council's own domain this pass. Sources: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/SelectiveandAdditional(HMO)LicensingSchemes2023-2028 · https://www.kammadata.com/uk-property-guide/property-licensing-guide-for-sefton/

Additional licensing in Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

🔴 IS LIVE NOW

Additional (HMO) licensing 2023-2028; runs 2023-03-01 to 2028-02-29; coverage: partial

Designated areas: Parts of: Seaforth, Waterloo, Brighton-le-Sands, Southport. Partial-coverage schemes only apply on specific streets — check the council's own boundary map for your exact address.

Medium confidence — sourced from a licensing data aggregator, not independently re-verified on the council's own domain this pass. Sources: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/landlord-licensing-and-accreditation/additional-hmo-licensing-2023-2028/

Need to actually apply? We'll prepare the whole application.

This scheme is already live — an unlicensed property in a designated area is an offence now, not later.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council's selective scheme only covers designated wards, not the whole authority — so the first question is whether your specific address is actually in one. We check that against ONS ward data for your postcode, not a guess from the council name.

Our Licence Application Pack works out exactly which scheme covers your specific address, the real fee breakdown and discounts you can claim, every document the council's own form asks for, and the submission link and deadline — delivered as one dated, ready-to-submit pack.

£149 one-off. The NRLA, the UK's largest landlord association, resells done-for-you licence application handling through a partner at £295–£425 + VAT per application.

Check if you need a licence — free →

The free check tells you whether a licence is required at all. We only sell you a pack if one genuinely is. We prepare the application — you submit it to the council yourself.

National obligations that apply everywhere in England

These apply regardless of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council's own licensing rules — every England landlord is on the hook for these:

Annual Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — Any property with gas — unlimited fine and/or imprisonment on conviction if missing.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Every rental property — a live legal requirement in England since 2020.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Every rental property — currently rated E or above to be let legally.
Tenancy deposit protection — Any deposit taken — must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.
Right to Rent checks — Every tenant — landlords must verify immigration status before letting.
PRS Landlord Database registration — Phasing in nationally 2026–2028 under the Renters' Rights Act — a new, separate requirement from council licensing.

Get your exact compliance status for a property in Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council — free, in under 2 minutes.

Check my compliance — free Get the full £9 audit

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Information, not legal advice. Compiled from public sources on 2026-08-29; licensing schemes change on a weeks-to-months cadence, not annually, so always confirm directly with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council before relying on this for a real letting decision. Overall confidence for this page: medium.