Selective licensing · Reading Borough Council
Proposed phased selective licensing schemes (Battle, then Park, then Redlands wards)
- Status
- Proposed
- Fee
- Not set yet. The council expects it to be lower than its HMO licence fee and says it will publish it before any scheme starts. A committee report in November 2024 proposed £750, or £650 for accredited landlords such as NRLA members, £250 for homes let through the council's Rent Guarantee Scheme, and £1,000 for a late application.
- Applies to
- Proposed: privately rented homes in the named wards let to one household or to two sharers. HMOs wouldn't be covered, since HMO licensing covers them. Proposed exemptions include homes managed by councils, social landlords or housing associations, lettings to family members, and lodgers who share with their landlord.
Our records last verified 1 October 2026 · council designation page
Area covered
The designation covers a defined area of Reading Borough Council. Check your exact address with the checker below and against the map on the council’s designation page, because scheme boundaries are drawn street by street.
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.
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