Enfield Council: Public Consultation – PRS Licensing Scheme
Background & Context
Enfield Council commissioned M·E·L Research to independently design and deliver a public consultation on proposals to introduce a new Selective Licensing scheme for privately rented homes across parts of the borough. The Council has an established programme of property licensing aimed at improving housing standards and property management in the private rented sector (PRS). Existing licensing schemes in Enfield included a borough-wide Additional Licensing scheme for smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and a Selective Licensing scheme covering a number of wards. The Selective Licensing scheme for single household private rented properties was approaching the end of its designation period, and the Council was considering whether a new scheme should be introduced and expanded to additional wards.
The consultation sought to gather views on the proposed scheme, including the geographic scope, proposed licence conditions, licensing fees and discounts, and the objectives of the scheme. The Council also wanted to better understand perceptions of the private rented sector locally and explore alternative approaches to improving housing standards and addressing issues such as anti-social behaviour.
Given the wide range of stakeholders affected by licensing schemes, the consultation required engagement with multiple audiences including private tenants, landlords, letting and managing agents, residents, businesses, local organisations and neighbouring authorities. A key challenge was ensuring that the consultation reached a balanced cross-section of views, particularly from groups who may be harder to engage through traditional consultation approaches, such as private renters or residents who may not actively engage with council consultations.
Another important consideration was the potentially sensitive nature of the topic. Licensing schemes often generate strong views, particularly among landlords and agents who may have concerns about regulation, costs and administrative burden. The consultation therefore required an independent and transparent approach that allowed participants to share their views openly while ensuring that feedback was captured systematically and reported objectively.
Approach
M·E·L Research designed and delivered a multi-method consultation programme to ensure a broad and representative range of views could be captured. The consultation combined quantitative survey methods with qualitative engagement and stakeholder consultation.
Key elements of the research programme included:
Online consultation survey An online questionnaire was hosted on the Council’s consultation platform and promoted widely through council communications channels. The survey gathered views on the proposed licensing scheme, proposed licence conditions, licensing fees and discounts, and overall objectives. Respondents were also able to provide open-ended feedback on the proposals and suggest alternative approaches.
Face-to-face resident survey A borough-wide face-to-face survey was conducted with 612 residents using tablets. The sampling approach ensured representation by ward, gender and age, with wide representation across different ethnic groups. Based on the estimated adult population in Enfield, the achieved sample size provided a margin of error of approximately ±3.9%, enabling robust statistical analysis of residents’ views.
Online consultation meetings Three facilitated online consultation meetings were delivered and moderated by M·E·L Research. These sessions provided an opportunity for participants to hear about the proposal and discuss their views in a structured setting. The meetings included presentations on the proposed scheme followed by breakout discussions to capture detailed qualitative feedback. Participants were predominantly landlords and agents.
Stakeholder interviews In-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholder organisations representing different perspectives within the sector. These included organisations representing landlords and agents, tenant advocacy groups, and partner organisations such as policing. Interviews explored views on the potential impact of the scheme, enforcement capacity, scheme design and potential alternatives.
Written responses and alternative engagement channels Participants were able to submit written responses via email, letter or social media, or provide feedback through a dedicated freephone helpline. These channels ensured that individuals who preferred to provide more detailed feedback or were unable to attend meetings or complete the survey could still contribute to the consultation.
The consultation was supported by a comprehensive communications campaign led by the Council, which included stakeholder outreach, targeted email communications, social media promotion, community engagement activities and media coverage to maximise awareness and participation.
Outputs
M·E·L Research analysed the consultation findings using a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques.
Survey data from the online and face-to-face surveys were combined and analysed statistically, including subgroup analysis by respondent type (e.g. private renters, residents, landlords and agents). Demographic data were also analysed to assess the profile of respondents and ensure broad representation.
Open-ended responses from surveys, consultation meetings, stakeholder interviews and written submissions were analysed using thematic analysis. Comments were coded against key themes to identify common views, areas of agreement and disagreement, and recurring issues raised by participants.
The final outputs delivered to Enfield Council included:
A comprehensive written consultation report summarising the methodology, engagement approach and findings from each consultation strand.
Detailed analysis of survey results, including subgroup analysis by respondent type.
Thematic summaries of qualitative feedback from consultation meetings, stakeholder interviews and written responses.
Appendices containing the survey questionnaire, demographic profile of respondents and full coded responses.
The findings provided the Council with an independent and evidence-based overview of stakeholder views on the proposed licensing scheme. The report was designed to inform decision-making by clearly presenting both quantitative results and qualitative feedback across the different stakeholder groups involved in the consultation.
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