Great Yarmouth’s selective licensing scheme faces a formal legal challenge after landlord representatives issued a pre-action letter warning they will seek judicial review unless the council halts the rollout.
The Eastern Landlords Association sent the letter on 11 February, arguing the council failed to properly assess alternatives to licensing and relied on outdated modelling when judging housing conditions in the affected areas. The scheme, approved in December, is due to start on 1 April and covers around 5,000 privately rented homes.
Legal grounds of challenge
The pre-action letter – the final legal step before court action – claims the authority did not demonstrate how the designation would reduce deprivation or improve standards when combined with other measures. The ELA is calling for the scheme to be withdrawn or delayed while the dispute is resolved.
The group has also requested detailed inspection data, financial modelling behind the licence fee and analysis of previous licensing results in Nelson Ward. This follows earlier warnings from landlords that the proposal was flawed from the outset.
MP backs legal challenge
Paul Cunningham, chair of the Eastern Landlords Association, said the council had not met the legal requirements for introducing selective licensing and that the evidence base was inadequate.
Local Independent MP Rupert Lowe has backed the campaign, posting on Facebook that landlords would “simply sell their houses, driving up rent and even opening the door to HMOs being bought up.” He added: “The council’s scheme is poorly thought out. It won’t work, and it won’t deliver for tenants or landlords.”
Council defends scheme
A council spokesperson defended the proposal, saying: “Selective licensing schemes already operate successfully across wide parts of the country, and no one should lose sight of the fact that the only purpose of introducing a scheme is to improve the quality of housing for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
The spokesperson added: “Good landlords have nothing to fear from a scheme, wherever they operate, and the council is confident its proposal meets all the necessary legal requirements for its introduction.”
The challenge comes as councils across England expand licensing programmes. Blackpool landlords recently warned that licensing fees could force property sales, while Thurrock’s scheme was halted by High Court action in a case landlords cited as setting a precedent for challenging poorly evidenced schemes.
For landlords in the affected wards – Nelson, Central and Northgate, Southtown and Cobholm, and parts of North Ward – the legal uncertainty means planning for April licensing requirements now carries additional risk. The council must respond to the pre-action letter before any court proceedings can commence, as required under the Civil Procedure Rules.
Editor’s view
Great Yarmouth’s scheme may yet launch on schedule, but the legal challenge highlights growing landlord resistance to licensing expansion. Councils rolling out new schemes should expect similar scrutiny of their evidence base and consultation processes.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 13 February 2026
Sources: Eastern Landlords Association, Great Yarmouth Borough Council
Related reading: Blackpool landlords warn licensing fees could force property sales
