East of England

HMO licensing in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire 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 Central Bedfordshire (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

Not published

Check your property Get alerts for Central Bedfordshire

Licensing schemes in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire 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

Central Bedfordshire 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.

Central Bedfordshire charges a two-part HMO licence fee that scales with the number of lettable rooms or flats in the property, effective from 1 January 2026. Part 1, payable at application, is £388.80 per property plus £42.20 per flat or lettable room. Part 2, payable once the application is approved and covering the licence for its term (1 to 5 years depending on compliance history), is £168.60 per property plus £75.10 per flat or lettable room. Part 1 is non-refundable if an application is later found invalid or refused. No single total figure is published because the fee depends on the number of lettable rooms or flats in each property.

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

Minimum room sizes

Double bedroom (2 occupants, 10+ years)	10.22 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard).
Single bedroom (1 occupant, 10+ years)	6.51 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard).
Child's bedroom (under 10 years)	4.64 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard).

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

Property and management arrangements are assessed against the council's suitability and 'fit and proper person' licence tests, which include fire precautions appropriate to the size and layout of the HMO.
Landlords must supply evidence of fire risk assessment and fire safety measures as part of the licence application and ongoing scheme management (site inspection may be required).

Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards

The property must be reasonably suitable for the number of occupants proposed on the licence.
Landlords must demonstrate satisfactory management arrangements (repairs, waste disposal, upkeep of communal areas).
The licence holder and any manager must satisfy the council's 'fit and proper person' test.

Documents you will need

Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Required annually where the property has a gas supply, as a standard HMO licence condition.
EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, required as a standard licence condition.
EPC — Energy Performance Certificate for the property, required to demonstrate compliance with Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.

Sources

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