North East
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
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This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Selective licensing scheme covering two designated zones in South Shields: the Beach Road area (Beach Road and surrounding streets) and the Long Streets area. Scheme approved by Cabinet on 4 November 2020 and launched 1 April 2021 for a five-year period. Impacts approximately 3,000 privately-rented properties. The areas were selected based on evidence of high proportions of private rented properties alongside deprivation, crime, anti-social behaviour, and low housing demand. The Long Streets area had a reported average of 18 ASB incidents per month (double the Beach Road area average of 9), with the combined average representing 6.5% of the Borough's average reported incidents.
The scheme was originally planned to commence on 1 April 2021 but was delayed briefly due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was ultimately launched on 1 April 2021. The scheme is due to expire on 31 March 2026 — at time of extraction (26 March 2026) it is in its final days. No renewal, extension, or replacement consultation has been publicly announced. The Shields Gazette reported on 3 November 2020 (pre-launch) that landlords objected to the scheme, with the borough's Landlords' Association chair describing it as a money-making exercise. The National Residential Landlords Association raised concerns that a condition requiring electrical safety checks may have been unlawful following a Court of Appeal ruling; the council agreed to remove any unlawful conditions. Boundary maps of the Beach Road area (PDF, published 14 January 2020) and the Long Streets area are available on the council website. The consultation evidence report (Selective Licensing Evidence Report, August 2019) is available as a PDF at southtyneside.gov.uk.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Mandatory HMO licensing applies throughout England under the Housing Act 2004 (as extended in October 2018) and therefore covers the entire borough of South Tyneside. Required for all HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more separate households who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. The extension in October 2018 removed the previous requirement for the property to be three or more storeys, meaning all HMOs meeting the occupancy threshold now require a mandatory licence regardless of the number of storeys.
South Tyneside Council maintains a register of all licensed HMOs in the area, which can be viewed free of charge by contacting environmental.healthmailbox@southtyneside.gov.uk. The council confirms that having an HMO licence does not remove the requirement for planning permission, and likewise planning permission does not remove the need for an HMO licence. Unlicensed HMOs can be reported to the council by emailing the property address to environmental.healthmailbox@southtyneside.gov.uk. A separate borough-wide Article 4 Direction (planning control, not a licensing scheme) was approved by Cabinet on 5 November 2025, requiring all new HMOs regardless of size to obtain planning permission prior to conversion. This does not affect existing HMOs or HMO licence requirements.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
28 March 2026
Research confidence
High (70/100)
Sources checked
4
The South Tyneside Council website returns 403 errors for direct page fetches, so all data is sourced from search result snippets, third-party sources, and one successfully fetched third-party page (legislate.tech). The selective licensing scheme details (Beach Road, Long Streets, £550 fee, April 2021 start, five-year duration, Cabinet approval November 2020) are consistently confirmed across multiple Shields Gazette articles (local newspaper) and search result snippets from the council website itself. The fee split (£150 + £400) was confirmed via a Shields Gazette article reporting on the Cabinet approval. The ONS GSS code (E08000023) is confirmed via ONS and mySociety sources. The Article 4 Direction details (approved 5 November 2025, borough-wide) are confirmed via Shields Gazette reporting. Key unknowns are: (1) the exact current status of the selective licensing scheme — whether it has been renewed, extended, or allowed to expire as it was due to end 31 March 2026 (five days before extraction date); (2) the current mandatory HMO licence fee amount, which is on the council website but could not be accessed.
South Tyneside Council maintains a register of all licensed HMOs in the borough as required by the Housing Act 2004. The register is available to view free of charge, but access is by email request only — there is no online searchable public register portal. To view the public register for HMO licences, forward a request to environmental.healthmailbox@southtyneside.gov.uk. The council has not published an online register or downloadable dataset. Unlicensed HMOs can also be reported to the council via the same email address.
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.
Mandatory HMO licensing applies throughout England under the Housing Act 2004 (as extended in October 2018) and therefore covers the entire borough of South Tyneside. Required for all HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more separate households who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. The extension in October 2018 removed the previous requirement for the property to be three or more storeys, meaning all HMOs meeting the occupancy threshold now require a mandatory licence regardless of the number of storeys.
South Tyneside Council maintains a register of all licensed HMOs in the area, which can be viewed free of charge by contacting environmental.healthmailbox@southtyneside.gov.uk. The council confirms that having an HMO licence does not remove the requirement for planning permission, and likewise planning permission does not remove the need for an HMO licence. Unlicensed HMOs can be reported to the council by emailing the property address to environmental.healthmailbox@southtyneside.gov.uk. A separate borough-wide Article 4 Direction (planning control, not a licensing scheme) was approved by Cabinet on 5 November 2025, requiring all new HMOs regardless of size to obtain planning permission prior to conversion. This does not affect existing HMOs or HMO licence requirements.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the area-based route→
Use the selective licensing page if the real question is whether a standard rented home sits inside a designated area.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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