Scaled floor plans for a selective licence application start at from £325. The licence fee is separate, set by your council and paid to it.
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A selective licence is the part of property licensing that catches ordinary lettings: a flat or a house let to one household can need a licence in a designated area, with no shared kitchen involved. The plan you attach is a modest document, and the useful thing to know is how your council's scheme decides what it must show.
What is selective licensing?
It is a licence for privately rented homes in an area the council has designated, whether or not they are HMOs. Section 80 of the Housing Act 2004 lets a council designate the whole or part of its area (section 80). A designation may last up to five years, and the council must consult on a proposed scheme for at least ten weeks (MHCLG guide, paragraphs 57 and 64).
The government has also removed a hurdle. Under the General Approval effective 23 December 2024, councils no longer need Secretary of State confirmation for a scheme of any size (paragraph 7 of the same guide). That removes a step for councils, so check whether your address has moved into a scheme.
What does the floor plan need to show?
That depends on your council, and the law says so. Under section 87 a council can specify its own application requirements and fix the fee, within regulations (section 87). Plans typically show each room, its use and its area, to a scale. Some councils also ask for fire detection, escape routes or the position of kitchens and bathrooms.
We therefore ask for your borough at the start. We draw from a measured visit, check the plan against the council's published list, and deliver it as a PDF. Because the licence conditions elsewhere are written in floor areas, a plan from a measured visit is safer than one drawn from the estate agent's brochure.
How is this different from an HMO licence?
An HMO licence is a different licence under Part 2 of the Act, with conditions on room sizes and occupancy. For an HMO, a bedroom for one person over ten must be at least 6.51 sq m (2018 Regulations). Selective licensing covers rented homes outside that regime.
If your property is an HMO, look at our HMO licence application pack, which covers the plans and the form, or the fuller HMO drawings. The selective licence plan is the shorter product.
How do I find out whether my property needs a licence?
Ask your council, which publishes its schemes. GOV.UK says to contact your council to confirm whether you need a licence, and that smaller HMOs may still need one depending on the area (GOV.UK). The same applies to selective schemes: the designation is by area, often by ward or street, so the address decides.
Before spending anything, search your council's website for "property licensing" and read the designation map. If your address is inside it, check the start date and the application window.
Frequently asked questions
Is the floor plan the only document I need? No. Councils usually also ask for safety certificates and details of the licence holder and manager. Use your council's checklist. We prepare the plan, not the safety documents.
How long does a plan take? After the measured visit we draw it and send it for you to check. We give you the date when you book, because it depends on our diary and the size of the property.
What if I change the layout later? The plan then no longer matches the property, so it needs updating before you rely on it again.
Do you handle the licence fee? No. You pay it to your council when you apply.
