Selective licensing · Newcastle City Council
The Newcastle City Council Designation of an Area for Selective Licensing 2026 (Greater High Cross and Byker; council page: Byker Old Town and Greater High Cross)
- Status
- In force
- Runs
- 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2031
- Designated
- 24 February 2026
- Fee
- £1,000 per property: £300 when you apply and £700 when the licence is granted. There is £100 off for an EPC rating of A, B or C, and £50 off a valid new application made within one month of buying the property. A licence lasts up to five years. Landlords who don't apply or have a history of not complying are given a one-year licence. The first part of the fee isn't refunded if you withdraw or the licence is refused.
- Applies to
- Every privately rented home on the streets the council lists in two areas: Greater High Cross (South Benwell and Scotswood), and Byker Old Town and Allendale South in Byker. Some streets are covered only for certain house numbers, such as Welbeck Road (odd numbers 9 to 337 and even numbers 408 to 474), Allendale Road (odd numbers 31 to 189) and Armstrong Road (even numbers 2 to 66 and 304 to 342). Shared houses usually need an HMO licence instead, as additional HMO licensing covers the whole city. Exempt: homes let by a registered social landlord, homes under a management order or with a temporary exemption, and the kinds of letting exempt nationally. Check the council's street list for your address.
Our records last verified 18 October 2026 · council designation page
Area covered
The scheme’s area lies within these wards: Benwell, Scotswood & Denton Burn, Byker, Elswick, Walker, Walkergate. The council publishes the exact area as a map or a street list, so check your address against it.
What this means for landlords
Selective licensing applies to privately rented homes of any size in the designated area, including single lets. Letting an unlicensed property inside the area can mean a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent.
Is your property inside the scheme area?
This checker reflects HouseFile’s records of council licensing designations, not the councils’ live registers. Our records indicate the position at the verification date shown on each result. Schemes are designated, renewed and revoked throughout the year, and postcode-level lookups are approximate near scheme boundaries. Always confirm with the council before letting or buying a property, using the source link on each card. This is general information, not legal advice.
If you hold a licence here, HouseFile can track its renewal date
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