Charnwood Council has amended conditions in its selective licensing scheme after landlords challenged whether parts of the licence went beyond the council’s legal powers.
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Licence conditions revised after tribunal settlement
The dispute centred on selective licensing in parts of Loughborough, where local landlords argued some conditions placed unreasonable burdens on compliant operators and strayed beyond what the Housing Act 2004 allows. Charnwood has now confirmed that, following an agreement reached at First Tier Tribunal, its selective licensing conditions have been amended and new draft licences will be issued to licence holders.
The council’s updated selective licensing page now says revised draft licences will be sent to all licence holders. That gives landlords a rare example of a local licensing scheme being pulled back after a direct legal challenge.
It also adds a practical warning for landlords elsewhere. Licensing conditions are often accepted as boilerplate, yet this case suggests some councils may still overreach unless terms are tested carefully. Similar compliance pressure has featured in Harrow’s latest licensing deadline and in Landlord Knowledge’s coverage of new liability rules around HMO compliance.
Why the outcome matters beyond Loughborough
According to reports of the settlement, disputed conditions covered areas including fire risk assessments, electrical safety, waste requirements and broad obligations to comply with housing law. Landlords argued some wording was so wide that even unrelated breaches could trigger licence enforcement consequences.
That matters because selective licensing is expanding across England, and every extra condition carries cost, admin and penalty risk. Where wording is vague, the practical burden can fall hardest on smaller landlords who lack in-house compliance support.
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s report on pressure for wider licensing before the local elections, which showed the political momentum behind tougher local controls. Charnwood’s retreat is a reminder that expansion is one thing, but enforceable wording is another.
What this means for landlords
- If you hold a licence: read every condition instead of assuming council wording is standard or challenge-proof.
- Watch for: revised draft licences and whether other councils quietly tighten or rewrite conditions after legal scrutiny.
- Bottom line: selective licensing is not just about paying a fee – it is about understanding the obligations hidden in the small print.
Editor’s view
Most landlords treat licence conditions as something to endure rather than question. Charnwood shows that some are worth challenging. As councils push for broader powers, the wording of each condition matters more than ever.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 29 April 2026
Sources: Charnwood Borough Council selective licensing update
Related reading: Harrow licensing deadline raises compliance risk for landlords
