How to Apply for a Selective Licence in Thurrock

Before You Start

Gather your documents first. You will need a valid gas safety certificate, a satisfactory EICR (electrical installation condition report), an EPC rated Band E or above, a floor plan showing room dimensions in square metres, and a copy of the current tenancy agreement. Missing any of these will invalidate your application.

You also need contact details for every interested party: freeholders, joint owners, managing agents and mortgage lenders. The council notifies all of them as part of the application process.

The Online Portal

The standard route is Thurrock Council's digital licensing portal. Create an account or log in, then follow the seven-stage submission process:

Stage 1 — Property identification. Enter the property address. The system auto-maps the ward and confirms whether selective licensing applies.

Stage 2 — Parties and suitability. Provide details for the applicant, the proposed licence holder, the property manager (if different), freeholders and mortgage lenders. Complete the fit-and-proper declarations, disclosing any relevant criminal convictions, housing law breaches or discrimination findings for the council to assess.

Stage 3 — Occupancy structure. Enter the number of floors, letting units, room dimensions, household count and total tenant numbers.

Stage 4 — Document upload. Attach clear, legible scans of all required certificates in PDF or image format.

Stage 5 — Declaration. Sign the digital declaration confirming that everything you have submitted is accurate. Providing false information is a criminal offence under Section 238 of the Housing Act 2004.

Stage 6 — Part A payment. Pay the £236.98 processing fee by debit or credit card.

Stage 7 — Confirmation. You receive a unique reference number. Keep this — it is your proof that the application was submitted.

What Makes an Application "Duly Made"

Submitting the form alone does not protect you from enforcement. An application is only considered duly made when the form is complete, all documents are uploaded and verified, and the Part A payment has cleared. If any element is missing, the council treats the application as invalid.

An invalid application triggers a £27 re-processing fee and a 14-day correction deadline. During that window, you remain exposed to penalties for operating an unlicensed property.

After Submission

The council reviews your documents, runs background checks and contacts interested parties with a 14-working-day consultation period. Once that clears, they issue a Notice of Intention to grant the licence and invoice you for the Part B fee (£797.92). Pay that, and the five-year licence is issued.

Paper Applications

If you cannot complete the online form due to accessibility issues, you can request a paper application pack. Be aware that paper applications carry a £500 surcharge on top of the standard licence fee.

Don't Wait

The 12-week deadline for standard-rate applications runs from the date the property becomes licensable. After that, the fee jumps from £1,034.90 to £1,767.40. If you are reading this and your property is already let in a designated ward, apply now.

For a complete document checklist and the full fee breakdown for all three Thurrock licensing schemes, see our Thurrock landlord licensing guide.

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