Luton Selective and Additional Licensing Applications Are Unavailable: What Should Landlords Do?

Updated 28 September 2026

Luton Borough Council says it cannot currently accept applications for selective licensing or additional licensing because its property licensing application system is unavailable. These are the only two application routes covered by its announcement. Mandatory HMO licensing and enforcement continue as normal.

The distinction matters. The selective and additional licensing schemes have not been cancelled or suspended. They remain in force; the Council has temporarily stopped accepting applications through the affected system.

Is this fair on landlords?

A landlord cannot submit an application that the Council is unable to receive. The Council says it will not begin enforcement action for failure to license under the selective or additional schemes while applications are unavailable. It also says it will announce when applications can be submitted again and give landlords a reasonable opportunity to apply before taking enforcement action for failing to hold one of those licences.

That is a sensible response to a problem outside landlords’ control. It does not, however, remove other responsibilities. The Council specifically reminds operators of small HMOs that they must continue to comply with the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. Property safety and management work should carry on.

Which licence might your property need?

Selective licensing covers qualifying privately rented properties in Luton’s designated Town Centre and Park Town areas.

Additional licensing applies across Luton to qualifying smaller houses in multiple occupation, generally occupied by three or four people forming two or more households. A small HMO within the selective licensing area requires the appropriate additional licence, rather than both licences.

Mandatory HMO licensing generally applies where five or more people forming two or more households occupy a property and share facilities. The Council states that mandatory licensing is unaffected. If your property requires a mandatory HMO licence, do not wait for the selective and additional application system to reopen.

What should landlords do now?

Start by checking each property against the Council’s selective licensing information and additional licensing information. Confirm the address, number of occupants, number of households and facilities they share. Choosing the wrong licence can delay matters when applications resume.

Prepare the information and documents needed for your application. Keep safety certificates and property records current. Save a dated copy of the Council’s notice that applications are unavailable, along with any relevant correspondence or evidence of an attempted application. If you applied before the interruption, check the status of that application rather than assuming it has disappeared.

The Council has not stated a reopening date on those pages. Check them regularly and submit the correct application promptly once the system is available. If your circumstances are unusual, contact the Council’s Private Sector Housing team for property-specific guidance.

MyEstate Luton can help landlords identify the likely licensing route and organise their application documents. The key message is simple: selective and additional applications are temporarily unavailable; mandatory HMO licensing is not.