East of England
HMO licensing in Basildon
Basildon 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 Basildon (checked September 2026). The council does not publish a single licence fee, so check its fees page.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
Not published
Decision time
About 10 weeks
The council's stated aim
Licensing schemes in Basildon
Basildon 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
Basildon Borough Council does not publish a single figure we could confirm. Fees are set by the council and reviewed each year, so check its fees page.
New HMO licence application fee is £202.00 per unit of accommodation (each sleeping room) for the first 6 units, with additional units thereafter charged at £101.00 per room. A separate Maintenance Fee of £270.00 (per property) is payable when the licence is granted. Landlords with a portfolio of 5 or more licensed HMOs in the borough get a £35.00 discount per application, and landlords signed up to an accreditation scheme get a 15% discount on the application fee. Renewal applications cost £135.00 per unit of accommodation for the first 6 units (£101.00 per additional room thereafter), plus the same £270.00 Maintenance Fee.
Check the current fee on the council website (basildon.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Bedroom/letting room, 1 occupant, HMO with shared kitchen/dining/living | 6.51 m² minimum. |
|---|---|
| Bedroom/letting room, 2 occupants, HMO with shared kitchen/dining/living | 10.22 m² minimum. |
| Bedroom/letting room, 1 occupant, HMO with shared kitchen only (no shared living room) | 8.5 m² minimum. |
| Bedroom/letting room, 2 occupants, HMO with shared kitchen only | 12 m² minimum. |
| Bedroom/letting room, 1 occupant, bedsit with kitchen facilities in the room | 11 m² minimum. |
| Bedroom/letting room, 2 occupants, bedsit with kitchen facilities in the room | 15 m² minimum. |
| Notes | From 1 October 2018, national legislation sets the absolute minimum sleeping-room floor area at 10.22 m² for 2 people over 10, 6.51 m² for 1 person over 10, and 4.64 m² for 1 child under 10 (a room under 4.64 m² cannot be used for sleeping). Basildon is a signatory to the Essex HMO Amenity Standards (jointly adopted Essex-wide guidance, last revised November 2022), shown above, which meet or exceed the national minimum; Basildon's own HMO application guidance separately requires floor plans to show room sizes and fire precaution measures. Source: Essex HMO Amenity Standards, Table 1. |
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
- Fire alarm test certificate required as part of a valid application.
- Fire risk assessment required as part of a valid application (except for HMOs occupied by a single cohesive group of sharers under one tenancy).
- Emergency lighting certificate required where emergency lighting is installed.
- Floor plans must clearly mark fire precaution measures.
- Fire safety is assessed with reference to LACORS Housing – Fire Safety Guidance and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service input, based on the property's storeys and type.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Current EICR from a suitably qualified person, no older than 5 years.
- Current gas safety record required where gas appliances are present.
- Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate required for all landlord/manager-supplied electrical appliances (from 1 February 2024, this applies regardless of appliance age/condition).
- Valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC); all private rented properties must achieve a rating of E or above.
- Legionella risk assessment by a competent person may be requested.
- Property must be suitable, or capable of being made suitable, for the number of occupants.
- Kitchen area: 7 m² minimum for up to 5 sharers, rising to 8.5 m² for 6, 10 m² for 7, and 14 m² (or two 7 m² rooms) for 8-10 sharers, per the Essex HMO Amenity Standards.
- Bathrooms/WCs: 1 bathroom and 1 WC for fewer than 5 sharers (can be combined); at 5 sharers the WC must be separate from the bathroom; 2 bathrooms and 2 WCs for 6-8 sharers (for 6-9 occupants at least one WC must be separate); at 9-10 sharers one WC must be fully separate with its own wash-hand basin.
- Portable paraffin, oil-fired or bottled gas (LPG) heaters are prohibited under the Essex HMO Amenity Standards.
Documents you will need
- Completed application form — A separate form is required for each HMO needing a licence.
- Accredited Landlord Certificate — Where applicable.
- EICR — Current Electrical Installation Condition Report, within the last 5 years.
- Gas safety record — Current record, where the property has gas appliances.
- Fire alarm test certificate — Evidence the fire alarm has been tested.
- Fire risk assessment — Required for every application.
- Emergency lighting certificate — Where emergency lighting is installed.
- Floor plans — Must include room sizes and clearly marked fire precaution measures.
- PAT testing certificate — Required for all landlord/manager-supplied electrical appliances since 1 February 2024.
- EPC — Energy Performance Certificate rated E or above.
- Management agreement — Signed copy of the agreement/contract between owner and management company, showing who holds full management responsibility.
- Legionella risk assessment — May be requested by the council.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Basildon Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.