Selective Licensing Appeal: Landmark Case at Leicester Crown Court

Nigel Edwards KC was recently instructed by Ian Anderson of Schofield Sweeney to represent a landlord in an appeal at Leicester Crown Court. The landlord had been convicted of 29 offences of failing to licence properties and in April 2025 they were fined £29,000, plus surcharges and costs totalling £27,000. The appeal team of Nigel Edwards KC, Ian Anderson and Emma Reilly, obtained “not guilty” verdicts for 25 of the 29 charges, and a reduction in the fine to £0.

The remaining four charges were wrapped up in an agreed “basis of plea” which confirmed there was little to no culpability on the part of our client. We expect that following the appeal, our client to be able to renew her selective licenses without issue.

Selective licensing has recently become a point of debate in Westminster and across news channels. The media interest arose after reports that the Chancellor rented out a property to a private tenant without obtaining the required selective licence. Although this area of housing law rarely receives much public attention, it can carry significant financial, regulatory, and even criminal consequences for landlords, including those, like the Chancellor, who may inadvertently fail to comply by relying on letting agents.

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 If you require advice or representation on selective licensing, please contact our Clerks on 01482 014658 or clerks@crown-chambers.com