Landlords and letting agents in the Wirral are facing more regulation and paperwork after councillors approved the expansion of its selective licensing scheme covering six new areas, despite questions being asked about whether it is really required.

The scheme affects Birkenhead Central, Egremont South, Hamilton Square B, Lower Tranmere, Tranmere Lairds and Tranmere North and will run until September 2030, according to Councillor Tony Jones (pictured), chair of Wirral Council’s economy, regeneration and housing committee.

However, a landlord and former PRS representative who sat on the council’s original licensing committee has responded to the proposals, arguing in an online post that the third scheme is unnecessary and questioning the council’s claims that the selected areas demonstrate a ‘genuine housing market failure’.

Biggest response claimed

The council boasts that the proposals received the highest-ever consultation response for selective licensing in the Wirral, with 79.4% of respondents supporting the scheme, although it does not provide any details on who actually responded.

The expansion is part of a growing trend of selective licensing schemes, with penalties of up to £30,000 for non-compliance becoming increasingly common across local authorities.

Jones says: “Although many landlords operate professionally, the council remains concerned about a number of landlords who rent properties that fail to meet satisfactory standards.”

Insider criticism

The former committee member argues, though, that the scheme is simply ‘a tax on landlords’ that will inevitably bring higher rents as costs are passed on to tenants.

Nor is he convinced the additional licensing is even needed, arguing that existing legislation already provides sufficient enforcement powers if they are properly used.

And he also has enforcement concerns. He says that since the Wirral closed its offices to the public in 2019 and its personnel began working from home, communications have suffered, with licensing queries, for example, going unanswered for weeks or even months on end.

The new scheme launches on 1st October 2025.