Why Has Thurrock Brought In Selective Licensing, And Where Does the Money Go?
Thurrock Council’s new selective licensing scheme has sparked debate across South Ockendon and beyond. Is it really about raising housing standards, or simply raising revenue? Here’s what landlords need to know, why certain areas are excluded, and where your licence fees actually go.
Summary (for busy landlords): Thurrock Council has approved selective licensing for most privately rented homes across the borough to raise standards, reduce anti-social behaviour (ASB), and support better management. Four wards are excluded based on the council’s evidence tests. Licence fees are set to recover the costs of running the scheme (not to make a profit)—covering processing, inspections and enforcement, not to plug the council’s wider budget.
What is selective licensing, and why now?
Selective licensing (Part 3, Housing Act 2004) lets councils require every PRS home in designated areas to hold a licence. Thurrock says the scheme targets issues evidenced locally: poor property conditions, persistent ASB, deprivation, and crime, with the goals of safer homes, stronger management and better neighbourhoods. In short, licensing is the chosen tool to push up compliance and push out poor practice
Why are some wards excluded?
The designation is evidence-led: areas must meet one or more statutory criteria (low demand, ASB, poor conditions, migration, deprivation, crime). Thurrock’s consultation and mapping led to exclusions where the evidence thresholds weren’t met. The council’s FAQs list the non-licensed wards as: Little Thurrock Blackshots, Orsett, Stifford Clays, and The Homesteads.
Isn’t this just a money-making exercise?
This is the big question locally. The council’s own material states that landlords must pay a fee “to cover the scheme’s costs and allow inspections.” The FAQs further explain that fees are set to reflect the cost of administering and monitoring the scheme (often split into application processing and compliance/inspection elements). In other words, by design, the fee must be cost-recovery, not general revenue.
What the fee covers:
- Application handling and “fit and proper person” checks
- Compliance checks, property inspections, and follow-up
- Enforcement against unlicensed/poorly-managed lets over the licence period
Thurrock has also published an itemised fee structure (standard total c. £1,034.90, with a higher rate for late applicants and a paper-application surcharge), which aligns with this cost-recovery model.
What happens to the money raised?
Under the council’s own documentation, the income is ring-fenced to operate the licensing scheme—processing, compliance monitoring, inspections and enforcement. It is not intended to fund general council services or reduce the deficit from past financial issues; it must be used to deliver the licensing outcomes.
What this means for landlords in South Ockendon & wider Thurrock
- Most single-household lets will need a licence if they’re in a designated ward.
- HMOs: mandatory licensing for 5+ occupiers continues; additional HMO licensing for 3–4 occupiers borough-wide has been approved
- Penalties for operating unlicensed (civil penalties, RROs, etc.) are significant—budget time and resource to comply early
Final Thoughts
This month, map each property to its ward, confirm if selective licensing applies, and line up your documents (EPC, EICR, gas safety, alarms, deposit proof, “fit and proper” info). If you’re unsure whether your address sits inside or outside a designated area—or you want help preparing an application pack—MP Estates can audit your portfolio and handle the paperwork end-to-end so you’re licensed once the window opens and not paying higher “late” fees.
Got questions about your street, your ward, or how to prove compliance? Get in touch today, let’s keep you fully compliant and tenant ready.
