How to Apply for an Enfield Selective Licence: Step-by-Step Process

Enfield Council processes all selective licence applications through its online portal. There is no paper route. The process runs in seven steps, from account creation to Part 1 payment, and the council targets 60 working days from submission to issuing a draft licence. Here is exactly what happens at each stage.

Step 1: Create an Account on the Portal

Go to the Enfield Council property licensing portal and register a user profile. You will need the applicant's name, email address, and contact details. If a managing agent is submitting on behalf of the landlord, the agent can create the account. The proposed licence holder should be the appropriate person with the power to let and terminate tenancies, access the premises, and authorise repairs — usually the owner, an owner-employed manager, or the person in receipt of rent.

Step 2: Enter the Property Address

The portal asks for the property address and automatically matches it to the correct licensing scheme based on ward boundaries. Double-check the result against the council's interactive map — if the automated match looks wrong for a boundary property, contact [email protected] before proceeding.

Step 3: Disclose All Parties

You will need to enter full details for:

• The applicant (the person submitting the form)
• The proposed licence holder (usually the freeholder or long leaseholder — the person who receives the rent and can grant or terminate tenancies)
• The proposed managing agent (if one is appointed)
• Any freeholders, joint owners, leaseholders, and mortgage lenders with an interest in the property

Corporate applicants must provide the company's registered name, Companies House number, registered office, and a named director.

Step 4: Enter Property Details

Submit floor plans with room dimensions in square metres, the total number of rooms, and the layout. For selective licences on single-household lets, this is more straightforward than for HMOs. The 6.51 m² statutory minimum applies to sleeping rooms in licensable HMOs, not to a selective licence by itself.

Step 5: Complete the Fit and Proper Person Declaration

Every proposed licence holder and managing agent must declare their legal history: unspent convictions for fraud, violence, drugs, or sexual offences; any history of housing law contraventions; any banning orders under the Housing and Planning Act 2016. The council uses this to assess whether the applicant passes the statutory fit and proper person test.

Step 6: Upload Documents

Attach the mandatory documents in PDF format:

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — valid 12 months, from a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — satisfactory outcome, valid up to 5 years
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — minimum grade E
• Current tenancy agreement
• Dimensional floor plans with m² measurements
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm declaration

HMO applications also require a fire risk assessment covering common parts. Selective applications do not, though having one strengthens the submission.

Step 7: Pay the Part 1 Fee

The Part 1 fee of £450 is payable by debit or credit card at the end of the form. Once submitted, the council issues an automated receipt confirming your application has been received.

After Submission

An application is only "duly made" once council officers verify that all documents are complete, legible, and valid. If anything is missing or incorrect, they will request it — and two or more such requests forfeit your fee discount eligibility.

The council targets 60 working days to issue a Notice of Intention (draft licence). There is no tacit consent — you cannot assume approval if the deadline passes. The application must be explicitly determined and granted.

When the draft licence arrives, you have an opportunity to make written representations. After that, the Part 2 fee of £300 is collected, and the final licence is issued.

Avoiding a Rejected Application

The most common rejection reasons are uploading an EICR with C1 or C2 unsafety codes, a gas certificate that does not cover all appliances, or an EPC rated below grade E. Each of these means a wasted non-refundable Part 1 fee and a restart from scratch.

For a detailed document checklist and pre-flight audit to catch these issues before you submit, see our Enfield Landlord Licensing Guide.

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