Private rented property licensing

How much does a property licence cost

Fees from 1 April 2022

  • mandatory HMO licence - £1,300 plus £50 per habitable room
  • additional HMO licence  - £1,100 plus £50 per habitable room
  • selective licence - £750
  • selective licence ‘block’ or ‘multiple flat’ application - discounted fee of £675 per flat*  

Selective licence ‘block’ or ‘multiple flat' application

A selective licence ‘block’ or ‘multi-flat’ application may be submitted by any person who controls two or more flats within the same building, for instance a person who is entitled to receive the rack rent for the flats, or would be entitled to receive it were the flats let at such a rent. This may be the freeholder of the block, or the person with the leasehold interest in each of the subject flats. Licences will however continue to be issued on a flat by flat basis rather than on a ‘block’ or ‘multi-flat’ basis.

* Any further applicable discounts will apply to the first flat only.

A discounted fee of £675 will not be applicable where the local authority has served a warning letter for failure to license the property.

Applicants who are sent two warning letters will be charged the full fee (£750) plus an additional 25% late application fee per flat.

Discount

Applications received between 3 January and 3 April 2023 for licences under the new selective licensing scheme (designation 2) may be eligible for a 25% discount. 

Accredited landlords

If you are accredited under one of the following schemes, you may be entitled to a £75 discount:

  • London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS)
  • National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
  • UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA)

If you are a member of one of the following schemes, you may be entitled to a £75 discount:

  • Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA)
  • Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
  • Safeagent

Property EPC rating of C or above

If your property has an EPC rating of C or above, you may be entitled to a £50 discount.

When will discounts apply?

Discounts will be determined on receipt of a full application and all supporting documents.

Discounts will not be applicable where the council has:

  • served a warning letter for failure to license the property
  • made two requests for additional supporting documents

Additional charges

  • applicants who are sent two warning letters - application fee plus 25% additional late application fee
  • applications submitted in paper form - application fee plus an additional £100
  • council assistance to complete an application form - Application fee plus an additional £50

Payment of licence fees

The licence fee is payable in two instalments.

On submission of your application, the first instalment of 30% of the total amount payable (after applicable discounts or charges) will be due to cover the processing of the application form. Should the application be refused or rejected by the council or withdrawn by the applicant, this first instalment payment will not be refunded.

Once the application has been assessed and the decision is made to grant the licence, the second instalment of 70% of the total amount payable (after applicable discounts or charges) will be due within seven days of notification.

Full list of fees and charges from 1 April 2022