Leicester is going ahead with its selective licensing extension in three areas of the city, charging landlords �1,090 per property - the highest fee in the Midlands.

The council is introducing the scheme in parts of Westcotes, Fosse, Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields wards, while another will include Stoneygate, and a third cluster will focus on part of the Saffron ward, impacting 8,853 properties.

Interestingly, it seems to be giving landlords plenty of leeway as those who make a late application '� after 10^th April 2025 '� will only get a penalty of �200 added to the full licence fee.

As well as offering a 10% discount for those properties with an EPC rating of C or higher, landlords who apply within the first six months of the 10^th October launch date will also get a 10% discount.

EMPO believes that as similar schemes across the East Midlands have demonstrated, selective licensing doesn't improve anti-social behaviour, bins on streets and deprivation.

Business development manager Giles Inman (pictured) tells LandlordZONE: 'Our experience shows discretionary licensing schemes, without exception, deliver increased rents as landlords pass on the cost of licensing to tenants.

"With the cost-of-living crisis and the change in the Energy Price Cap in October 2022 and January 2023, the merits of implementing an expensive licensing scheme at this time will surely raise some eyebrows.'�

Assistant city mayor for housing, councillor Elly Cutkelvin (pictured) says it finds some of the worst conditions in the private rented sector.

She adds: 'We are committed to working with and supporting landlords and tenants to improve the quality of private-sector rented housing in the city and protecting the most vulnerable people by ensuring their housing and their landlords meet a higher standard in terms of management and safety.'�