South East
HMO licensing in Ashford
Ashford Borough Council requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. No additional or selective licensing scheme is currently in force in Ashford (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £871.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £871
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Ashford
Ashford Borough Council operates the national mandatory scheme. We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force or proposed as of September 2026. Councils can introduce one after a public consultation, so it is worth setting an alert.
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £871, and £871 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Ashford charges a single flat fee of £871 for a new mandatory HMO licence application, and £871 to renew an existing licence — the council's online application/renewal process does not publish a separate scaling structure by bedroom or occupant count (unlike some neighbouring councils). An optional two-hour Private Sector Housing advisory/consultation visit (with follow-up report) can be booked separately for £154, but this is not part of the licence fee itself. No landlord-accreditation discount is published on the council's HMO page.
Check the current fee on the council website (ashford.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom (person over 10 years) - statutory minimum | 6.51 m², per the national statutory minimum in force since 1 October 2018. |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom (2 persons over 10 years) - statutory minimum | 10.22 m². |
| Child's bedroom (under 10 years) - statutory minimum | 4.64 m²; rooms below this size may not be used for sleeping and must be notified to the council. |
| Combined bedroom/living room, 1 person (council-adopted) | 9.0 m² minimum, per the council's own HMO Standards Book. |
| Combined bedroom/living room, 2 persons (council-adopted) | 14.0 m² minimum. |
| Bedroom only, 1 person (council-adopted) | 6.51 m² (matches the statutory minimum). |
| Bedroom only, 2 persons (council-adopted) | 10.22 m² (matches the statutory minimum). |
| Individual kitchen area (council-adopted) | 4.5 m² minimum, for 1 or 2 persons. |
| Shared living area, 1-5 persons (council-adopted) | 11 m² minimum; 16.5 m² for 6-10 persons. |
| Shared kitchen, 1-5 persons (council-adopted) | 7 m² minimum; 10.0 m² for 6-10 persons. |
| Shared kitchen/diner, 1-5 persons (council-adopted) | 11.5 m² minimum; 19.5 m² for 6-10 persons. |
National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.
Fire safety requirements
- Minimum requirement for all HMOs: a mains-powered smoke detection system (size/type depends on the property), a fire blanket fixed to a wall in each kitchen, and non-key-operated locks on all doors.
- For larger properties the council may additionally require 30-minute fire resistance to walls and ceilings, fire doors to rooms leading off the staircase/landings, and emergency lighting at all changes of direction and level.
- A written, suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment is required for all licensed HMOs under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, reviewed at least annually (or sooner on change of tenancy); a copy must be submitted as part of the licence application.
- Smoke alarms are required on every storey with a habitable room, and carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance, per the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015; alarms must be tested at the start of every new tenancy.
- Upholstered furniture supplied by the landlord must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (cigarette- and match-resistant labelling).
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Bath (min. 1670mm length) or shower (min. 800mm x 800mm): 1 per up to 5 persons sharing.
- Toilet with wash hand basin: 1 per up to 5 persons sharing.
- Wash hand basin (min. 560mm x 430mm): 1 per up to 5 persons sharing (where not already counted within a bath/shower room).
- Cooker: 2 hot rings + grill + oven for a self-contained unit, or 4 hot rings + grill + oven shared by up to 5 persons.
- Sink & drainer with hot/cold water: 1 per self-contained unit, or 1 shared by up to 5 persons.
- Worktop: minimum 1000mm x 500mm per unit, or 2000mm x 500mm shared by up to 5 persons.
- Food storage: 1 standard base unit (excluding the sink unit) per person.
- Refrigerator: 1 standard fridge/freezer per unit, or 1 shared by up to 5 persons.
- Electrical sockets above worktop: 2 free sockets per self-contained unit, or 4 free sockets shared by up to 5 persons.
- The council does not consider single bedrooms suitable for more than 2 persons.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate — Annual Gas Safe check certificate for all gas appliances, required under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; tenants must receive a copy within 28 days of the check.
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Periodic Inspection Report at a minimum of 5-yearly intervals, certifying no dangerous electrical defects.
- Fire Risk Assessment — A suitable and sufficient FRA under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005; a copy is requested as part of the licence application.
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — One EPC required per shared house/flat let on a single tenancy agreement (the council's guidance notes HMOs let room-by-room are currently excluded from the standard EPC requirement).
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Ashford Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.