Liverpool City Council is recruiting 34 new staff to enforce its selective licensing regime, bringing the total number of officers focused on the private rented sector to 120. The expansion represents one of the largest enforcement teams in the country and comes as the council prepares to consult on extending licensing to cover the entire city.
Selective licensing covers 46,000 rented homes
The new recruits – seven immediate hires and 27 more later this year – will concentrate on unlicensed properties, landlords who demand cash rent payments, and those suspected of criminal activity. The council’s existing selective licensing scheme already covers around 46,000 rented homes in designated areas.
Funding for the expanded team comes from additional income raised through landlord licensing fees, including charges for Houses in Multiple Occupation. The council says it now has 5,000 more properties registered than originally anticipated, reflecting the scale of the private rented sector in Liverpool.
Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Landlords with properties in designated areas have a legal duty to sign up for the scheme, and we now have 5,000 more properties than anticipated – which shows the size and scale of the sector in Liverpool and why we need to dedicate appropriate resources to the issue. By putting more boots on the ground we can make a real difference to people who are living in conditions that are simply not good enough and whose landlords are in breach of the law.”
City-wide licensing under consideration
The current scheme covers approximately 80 percent of privately rented properties, with some areas excluded. The council is set to consult on a new landlord licensing scheme to run from April 2027, with one option being to extend coverage to the entire city.
For landlords in Liverpool, the enforcement expansion signals a shift from reactive complaints handling to active compliance monitoring. Similar moves have been seen elsewhere – Westminster recently doubled its licensing team with a similar proactive enforcement approach.
Liverpool’s selective licensing fees currently stand at £500 for a five-year licence when applied for within the first three months of a scheme, rising to £650 for late applications. HMO licensing fees are separate and vary based on property size.
Landlords operating in Liverpool should verify their licensing status before the expanded enforcement team begins operations. The council’s landlord licensing portal provides details of designated areas and application requirements. Those with properties in flats above shops face particular scrutiny, the council indicated.
Editor’s view
With 120 officers focused on private landlords, Liverpool is signalling that enforcement is no longer an afterthought. Landlords in designated areas who have avoided licensing now face much higher odds of detection. For compliant landlords, the fee income funding this expansion means they are effectively subsidising the hunt for non-compliant competitors.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 26 February 2026
Sources: Liverpool City Council
Related reading: Westminster doubles licensing team as enforcement turns proactive
