A Labour councillor is calling for city-wide landlord licensing in Sheffield after pilot schemes forced landlords to spend £1.45 million improving what he described as “dangerous properties”.
Minesh Parekh, who represents Crookes and Crosspool ward, said he first supported landlord licensing in 2019 through his involvement with tenant campaign group Acorn. He has now formally requested the council develop a city-wide scheme to cover all private rented properties.
Pilot schemes led to £1.45m in improvements
Two pilot licensing schemes, covering areas around Abbeydale Road, Chesterfield Road, and London Road, as well as Page Hall, have now ended. According to council data, the first scheme uncovered thousands of hazards and forced landlords to spend over £250,000 on repairs. The Page Hall scheme resulted in £1.2 million worth of improvements.
Writing in Now Then Magazine, Parekh said: “These were clearly successful schemes, and they paid for themselves in both the fees collected and in the improvements won for renters. But by January 2024, both pilots had come to an end with no council commitment to deliver any further schemes.”
This follows Landlord Knowledge’s recent report on Gloucester’s plans for city-wide HMO licensing and Article 4 controls, suggesting a growing trend of councils seeking broader licensing powers.
Government lifted restrictions on large-scale schemes
Parekh noted that the Labour government removed barriers to city-wide licensing shortly after taking office. Before the policy change, councils required Secretary of State approval for schemes covering more than 20 percent of the local private rented sector or more than 20 percent of the geographical area.
“Within six months of the 2024 election, ministers changed regulations to allow councils to introduce landlord licensing schemes of any size, without Secretary of State approval,” he said.
The councillor has now requested that Sheffield’s Housing Committee design a scheme “to meet the needs of our private rented sector”. A public consultation will follow, although Parekh has already indicated his preference for a city-wide approach.
Councils across England have increased enforcement activity in recent months, with Liverpool deploying 120 officers to conduct inspections and pursue non-compliant landlords.
What this means for landlords
- If you own property in Sheffield: Watch for consultation announcements – landlords will have the opportunity to respond before any scheme is approved.
- Watch for: Similar moves from other Labour councils now that restrictions on large-scale licensing have been lifted.
- Bottom line: City-wide licensing typically costs between £500 and £1,000 per property over a five-year period, plus the cost of any required improvements to meet licensing conditions.
Editor’s view
Sheffield’s pilot schemes produced measurable outcomes – £1.45 million in property improvements funded by landlords. But the question for those opposing city-wide licensing isn’t whether standards matter. It’s whether mandatory fees and inspections achieve more than strong enforcement of existing housing law. Landlords who already maintain properties to the required standard will bear costs that ultimately get passed on to tenants.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 9 March 2026
Sources: Sheffield Council, Now Then Magazine
Related reading: Gloucester plans city-wide HMO licensing and Article 4 controls
