Leeds City Council vs Sheffield City Council — Landlord Licensing Compared

Side-by-side comparison of selective and additional HMO licensing in Leeds City Council and Sheffield City Council. Reference data from each council's own pages and GOV.UK.

Largest two Yorkshire metropolitan authorities.

Leeds City Council (Yorkshire and the Humber)

  • Selective licensing: Designated areas only. Selective licensing designated 3 November 2025, effective from 9 February 2026, in parts of Armley, Beeston & Holbeck, Burmantofts & Richmond Hill, Hunslet & Riverside, Gipton & Harehills, and Farnley & Wortley wards.
  • Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
  • Council licensing page: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/housing/information-for-landlords/selective-licensing
  • Council HMO page: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/housing/information-for-landlords/houses-in-multiple-occupation
  • Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/leeds

Sheffield City Council (Yorkshire and the Humber)

  • Selective licensing: No scheme confirmed. Previous selective licensing schemes in Page Hall (ended 2019) and London/Abbeydale/Chesterfield Road (ended Oct 2023) have closed. No current selective scheme.
  • Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
  • Council licensing page: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/housing/selective-licensing
  • Council HMO page: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/housing/houses-multiple-occupation/apply
  • Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/sheffield

Mandatory HMO licensing applies in both areas: any HMO occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households needs a licence anywhere in England.

Sources: - legislation.gov.uk — Housing Act 2004 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/contents - GOV.UK — House in multiple occupation (HMO) licence — https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

Last verified: 2026-06-28. Reference data only — always check each council's own page before applying.