Purpose

Due to identifying a need for additional time for full system testing and validation, officers recommend a variation to the designated start date for the Additional and Selective Licensing schemes. 

The was proposal is to reschedule the start date from 1st September 2026 to 25th September 2026 (the latest lawful start date for these schemes i.e. six months from the Designation Decision at Cabinet on 25th March 2026).

For full background please see Cabinet Report, from 25th March 2026, entitled ‘Private Sector Property Licensing Scheme: Implementation of Property Licensing Schemes for Privately Rented Properties’:

https://democracy.croydon.gov.uk/documents/s70258/Private%20Sector%20Property%20Licensing%20Scheme.pdf

The following decision was delegated to the Corporate Director of Housing by Cabinet in the key decision report approved on 25th March 2026 cf. recommendation 2.7:

“agree to delegate the authority to the Corporate Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Homes, to issue the required statutory notifications in relation to the designation and to ensure compliance in all respects with all relevant procedures and formalities applicable to the scheme, to include undertaking statutory reviews during the designation lifetime, and agreeing any changes to the schemes, including but not limited to implementation, operation, administration delivery, fees and conditions as necessary for the effective administration/operation of the schemes

Whilst having reviewed the proposal, the Corporate Director of Housing delegated the decision to Mark Baigent, Regeneration Lead, in her absence.

Decision

For the reasons as detailed in this notice, the Regeneration Lead, under delegated authority by the Corporate Director of Housing, and in consultation with the Statutory Deputy Mayor & Cabinet Member for Homes, AGREED to:

Reschedule the designated start date of the Additional and Selective Licensing schemes from 1st September 2026 to 25th September 2026.

Reasons for the decision

Due to identifying a need for additional time for full system testing and validation, officers recommend a variation to the designated start date for the Additional and Selective Licensing schemes. 

The proposal is to reschedule the start date from 1st September 2026 to 25th September 2026 (the latest lawful start date for these schemes i.e. six months from the Designation Decision at Cabinet on 25th March 2026).

Alternative options considered

Option 1 is to keep the 1st September start date.  There is a risk the system testing and validation will not be complete in time. 

Option 2 is to reschedule the start date to 25th September.  This adds sufficient time to complete system testing and validation. 

The recommendation is to reject option 1 and agree option 2