Selective Licensing in Central Hove & Regency: What Landlords Need to Know
Landlords in Central Hove and Regency may have been preparing for Brighton & Hove City Council’s new selective licensing scheme, which was originally due to come into force on 20 October 2026.
However, Brighton & Hove City Council has now confirmed that the introduction of the scheme has been paused following a legal challenge.
This means the new selective licensing requirements for Central Hove and Regency are not coming into force on 20 October 2026 as originally planned.
The council is currently considering the legal challenge and has said that it will provide a further update when it is able to do so.
What is selective licensing?
Selective licensing is a property licensing scheme that applies to certain privately rented homes within designated areas.
In Brighton & Hove, selective licensing applies to privately rented properties that are not already covered by mandatory or additional HMO licensing. If your property already requires a Mandatory or Additional HMO Licence, check whether that licence covers your property instead of a selective licence.
This means that even if your property is not an HMO, you may still need a licence if it is located within a designated selective licensing area.
Brighton & Hove Council already operates selective licensing in several parts of the city, including:
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Kemp Town
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Moulsecoomb & Bevendean
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Queen’s Park
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Whitehawk & Marina
These existing schemes remain in place and are not affected by the current pause.
What was planned for Central Hove and Regency?
Brighton & Hove City Council had planned to introduce selective licensing in Central Hove and Regency wards from 20 October 2026.
This would have meant that many landlords of privately rented homes within these areas would need to apply for a selective licence and ensure that their properties met the relevant licence conditions.
Landlords and letting agents had therefore been preparing for the new requirements ahead of the October start date.
Why has the Central Hove and Regency scheme been paused?
Ahead of the planned introduction, Brighton & Hove City Council confirmed that it had received a legal challenge relating to the scheme.
The council has therefore paused its introduction while it considers the challenge.
At the time of writing, the council has not announced a new commencement date or confirmed what changes, if any, may be made to the scheme.
Importantly, the scheme has been paused rather than formally cancelled, so landlords should continue to keep an eye on further announcements.
Do landlords in Central Hove and Regency need to apply for a licence now?
Based on the council’s latest announcement, the selective licensing scheme for Central Hove and Regency is not commencing on 20 October 2026 as previously planned.
Landlords should therefore follow the council’s latest guidance and await further information regarding the scheme.
If you have already been preparing for the new requirements, it may still be sensible to retain any documents or information you have gathered. The council may decide to proceed with the scheme at a later date.
Are other selective licensing schemes affected?
No. The council has specifically stated that its other licensing schemes remain in place.
Landlords should therefore continue to comply with any existing selective, additional HMO or mandatory HMO licensing requirements that apply to their property.
Brighton & Hove’s existing selective licensing scheme currently covers Kemp Town, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen’s Park and Whitehawk & Marina.
What happens next?
There is currently no confirmed new start date for selective licensing in Central Hove and Regency.
Brighton & Hove City Council has said that it will provide an update once it is able to give further information regarding the legal challenge and the future of the scheme.
For landlords, the important point is not to assume that the scheme has disappeared altogether. The position may change again once the council has completed its consideration of the legal challenge.
We will continue to monitor announcements from Brighton & Hove City Council and update our guidance when further information becomes available.
Need help understanding property licensing in Brighton & Hove?
Property licensing in Brighton & Hove can vary depending on the type of property, the number of occupants and where the property is located.
If you are unsure whether your property currently requires a licence, or would like help understanding your responsibilities as a landlord, please contact SJ Property Services and our team will be happy to help.
