HMO licensing in Boston

Boston 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.

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,050, and £1,050 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Scaling fee, set in 'Appendix A - Fees and Charges 2026-2027, Enforcement Policy, Housing Standards' (official PDF linked from the council's HMO page; the same SELCP policy suite covers Boston, East Lindsey and South Holland). New licence: £300.00 for initial application and processing plus £150.00 for each unit of accommodation. Renewal of an existing licence: the same, £300.00 plus £150.00 per unit of accommodation (no renewal discount). Maximum 5-year licence; no licence issued until the full sum is paid. The totals below are illustrative arithmetic for a 5-unit HMO (£300 + 5 x £150 = £1,050); the appendix does not define 'unit of accommodation' explicitly (assumed to be each lettable room/unit), so the per-property total should be confirmed with the Housing Standards team. The council's HMO page describes a two-part structure (Part A payable before processing/inspection; Part B payable after a successful inspection to cover ongoing administration and enforcement), but Appendix A does not publish a Part A/Part B split, so instalments is null. No accredited-landlord discount is published. The fee is reviewed annually per the licensing policy. Other listed charges: printed copy of public register £60; inspection charge £125 (in a separate section of the same appendix).

Check the current fee on the council website (boston.gov.uk) before you apply.

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.

• Licence condition 7: hard-wired, mains-operated smoke alarms with battery back-up (BS 5446) on each floor with living accommodation, including staircases, landings, lavatories, bathrooms and half-landings; a fire alarm detection system where required, inspected, tested and serviced to BS 5839 with certificates from a competent person.
• Licence condition 8: carbon monoxide alarm required in every room with a solid-fuel appliance; alarms tested at least monthly.
• Licence condition 15: a written fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 must be provided with the application (or carried out within 14 days of receiving the licence); findings shared with occupants within 14 days; copy supplied to the council within 14 days of demand.
• Satisfactory means of escape according to size/layout; escape routes kept clear; 30-minute fire doors installed and maintained as required by the risk assessment or council-adopted fire-safety guidance (at minimum to protect the primary escape route).
• Emergency escape lighting where required, inspected and tested to BS 5266 with certificates kept and supplied within 14 days of request.
• Every shared kitchen: minimum one fire blanket within 1800 mm of each hob; fire extinguishers optional but, if provided, tenants must be instructed and extinguishers inspected annually by qualified technicians.

• Shared bathrooms/toilets: 3-5 sharing: 1 bathroom/shower room and 1 toilet (toilet may be in the bathroom); 6-10 sharing: 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets (toilets may be in bathrooms); 11-15 sharing: 3 bathrooms and 3 toilets with 1 toilet separate; 16+ contact Housing Standards. Row alignment of the extracted table was partly scrambled: verify against Appendix C.
• Shared kitchen, 3-5 occupants: 1 single-bowl sink and drainer; 1 conventional cooker (4 rings, oven and grill); 2 double sockets and 1 single socket above worktop; worktop 1500 mm for the first 3 occupants plus 250 mm per extra occupant; one 500 mm base or wall unit per occupant; 1 fridge freezer (or equivalent); fire blanket.
• Shared kitchen, 6-7 occupants: double-bowl sink with drainer (or single sink plus dishwasher); 2 cookers (or 1 cooker plus combi-microwave); 3 double plus 1 single socket; fridge freezer plus under-counter fridge. 8-10 occupants: 2 sinks (or double sink plus dishwasher); 2 cookers; 5 double sockets; 2 fridge freezers plus under-counter fridge. 11-15 occupants: 3 sinks (or 2 plus dishwasher); 2 cookers plus combi-microwave (or 6-ring hob with double oven and grill); 7 double sockets; 3 fridge freezers.
• Exclusive kitchen (single person or co-habiting couple): single-bowl sink and drainer; 2-ring hob and oven (combi-microwave acceptable); 2 double sockets; 1000 mm worktop; 1 base and 2 wall units; under-counter fridge; fire blanket within 1800 mm of hob.
• Where kitchen facilities are inside a bedsit room, a minimum 1800 mm must be maintained between the kitchen facilities and the room's escape point.

• Application via HMO Licensing Portal — Register on the Boston HMO Licensing Portal, enter the property address, pay the application fee, then upload the completed SELCP HMO Licence Application Form and the required documents and certificates. The application form PDF could not be downloaded (403), so its exact field list was not verified.
• Gas safety certificate — Valid CP12 gas safety certificate from a Gas Safe engineer (licence condition 3); a new certificate must be provided to the council within 14 days of issue each year and displayed in the common parts.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Valid EICR for every electrical installation in the house, at least every 5 years (licence condition 6); plus a declaration from the licence holder on electrical safety.
• Fire Risk Assessment — Written FRA provided with the application (licence condition 15) or completed within 14 days of receiving the licence.
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates — BS 5839 alarm-system and BS 5266 emergency-lighting inspection certificates where such systems are required.
• Electrical appliance safety — Evidence/declaration that landlord-supplied electrical appliances are safe (licence condition 4); PAT records where applicable.
• Fit and proper person declaration — Licence holder and manager must satisfy the fit and proper person test; the council's policy Appendix D lists relevant offences considered.

• boston.gov.uk
• boston.gov.uk
• boston.gov.uk
• boston.gov.uk
• boston.gov.uk

Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Boston Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.