Selective Licensing Scheme
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The Selective Licensing Scheme started on 1 November 2025 A Selective Licence costs £1,334.90 and lasts for up to 5 years. |
If you are a landlord renting out residential property in the borough (that is not a Mandatory or Additional HMO), you must apply to the Council for a Selective Licence.
View the conditions for licensed properties:
For more details about fees and how to apply, please see our Licence Fees and Charges page.
Selective licensing covers all privately rented households, whether occupied by single adults, couples, or families.
Definition of a Family Member
A person is considered a family member if they live with someone as a couple, are related to that person, or are related to a member of the couple.
| Couple | Two people who are married, in a civil partnership, or living together as partners. |
| Relative | Parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first cousin. |
| Siblings | Half or full brothers and sisters are treated the same. |
| Stepchildren | Treated the same as birth children. |
Selective licence Wards
The scheme runs in the following 16 wards. There is also a map at the bottom of this page.
| Aveley and Uplands | Belhus | Chadwell St Mary | Chafford and North Stifford |
| Corringham and Fobbing | East Tilbury | Grays Riverside | Grays Thurrock |
| Little Thurrock Rectory | Ockendon | South Chafford | Stanford East and Corringham Town |
| Stanford le Hope West | Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park | Tilbury St Chads | West Thurrock and South Stifford |
Do I need a Selective Property Licence? Could I be exempt?
You do not need to apply for a Selective Property Licence or ask the Council for an exemption if your property is in one of these wards:
1. Little Thurrock Blackshots
2. Orsett
3. Stifford Clays
4. The Homesteads
All privately rented properties in other selective licensing wards must have a licence, no matter their size or who is living there.
Landlords who rent out a property without the correct licence could face prosecution and may lose the right to operate their business.
Selective Licensing Exemptions
In some situations, a property may not need a Selective Licence. Examples include:
• Buildings controlled or managed by a Local Housing Authority
• Buildings controlled or managed by Police.
• Buildings controlled or managed by fire brigade
• Buildings controlled or managed by Health Service Body
• Certain University/College accommodation occupied by students
• Where the owner or his relatives occupy a property on a long leasehold
• Where landlord lets to certain relatives
• Holiday Homes
• Where landlord/licensor or his relative lives at the property and shares facilities with a maximum of two lodgers
Exemptions from the mandatory HMO licensing scheme are set out here: The Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006
If your property meets the requirement of ‘full exemption’, please complete a Declaration form and email it to: selectivelicensing@thurrock.gov.uk for further assessment. Please provide any required documentation to support your claim.
What You Need to Do
Find out about property licensing in Thurrock and how to apply for a licence if you rent out a property privately.
Please note: You may need a licence for your rental property. If you rent out a property without a valid licence, you could face a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine in court.
