HMO licensing in Cheltenham

Cheltenham 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 £970, and £970 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Fees effective from 1 April 2026, as published on the council's own HMO licensing page. The fee is split into two payments: Part 1 (£400, submission/administration/authorisation) is paid when the application is submitted; Part 2 (£570, inspection/assessment/processing) is invoiced to the licence holder after the property inspection and applies to HMOs with five bedrooms or bed-living rooms. An additional £55 applies per bedroom/bed-living room for six or more. A further £140 applies to new applications, or renewal applications, where works or specific conditions are required. No accredited-landlord discount or separately discounted renewal rate is advertised anywhere on the council's HMO or fees pages (checked directly, no mention of 'discount' or 'accredited' found) — renewals appear to use the same Part 1/Part 2 fee structure as new applications unless works/conditions apply (+£140) or the renewal is late, in which case new-application additional fees are applied to Part 2. Licence duration is a maximum of 3 years.

Check the current fee on the council website (cheltenham.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.

• Fire detection: for shared (non-bedsit) HMO accommodation, a Category LD3 Grade A or D system to BS 5839-6:2019 (Grade A required for 7+ occupants; LD2 Grade A required for 5–6 storey properties). For bedsit accommodation, a Category LD2 Grade A or D system (Grade A required for 7+ occupants or 3+ storeys). A sound level of 75dBA should be reached at bedheads.
• Emergency lighting to BS 5266-1:2016 is required in 3 and 4 storey HMOs, linked to a heat detector in the room/lobby opening onto the escape route.
• An FD30 fire door is required to each shared kitchen and an FD30(S) door to the living room; for HMOs up to 2 storeys (excluding bedsit accommodation) a sound, well-constructed close-fitting conventional door is acceptable elsewhere (hollow 'egg box' doors are not). A wall-mounted fire blanket conforming to the latest British Standard is required in each kitchen area, ideally 1.5 m from the cooker near the exit door.
• All locks on doors along the means of escape and on final exit doors must be openable from the inside without a key.
• Landlords must provide adequate means of escape from fire and adequate fire precautions per the LACORS 'Housing – Fire Safety' guidance; a fire risk assessment is required for common areas under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. There is no requirement to provide fire-fighting equipment — the council's advice is to evacuate and call the fire service.

• Rule of thumb: one complete kitchen and one complete bathroom for every 5 occupants sharing the accommodation.
• Shared-use bathrooms: at least one fixed bath or shower, toilet and wash hand basin per 5 occupants; the toilet must be in a separate compartment from the bath/shower.
• Shared-use kitchens (up to 5 occupants): sink with constant hot/cold water and draining board with splashback, a cooker with 4-ring hob/oven/grill (a 27-litre combination microwave may serve as a second cooker), fixed worktop of at least 500mm x 3000mm, a 0.3 m³ dry-goods storage cupboard per occupier, at least two worktop-height fridge/freezer units, and 4 suitably positioned electric sockets plus one per major appliance.
• Ventilation: bathrooms need a window of at least 1/20th of floor area or mechanical extraction of 60 litres/second; separate WC compartments need a window of 1/20th floor area or 15 litres/second mechanical extraction; kitchens need 60 litres/second (or 30 l/s for an overhead extractor) in addition to any window.
• All habitable rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and toilet compartments must have a minimum floor-to-ceiling height of 2.14 m (with adjusted rules for existing attic rooms).
• Fixed heating capable of maintaining 21°C when it is -3°C outside must be provided in each unit of living accommodation, under occupier control with timer and thermostatic controls.

• Floor plan — Required for new applications, showing the use of each room (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom) and the location of smoke/heat detectors and fire doors.
• Gas safety certificate — Original certificate showing gas installation and appliances inspected by a Gas Safe registered inspector within the 12 months prior to application (where gas is supplied).
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report showing the electrical installation was inspected by a competent person within the 5 years prior to application.
• PAT certificate — Original certificate showing electrical appliances inspected by a competent person within the 12 months prior to application.
• Fire detection certificate — Original certificate showing the fire detection and warning system inspected, tested and serviced by a competent person within the 12 months prior to application, complying with BS 5839 Part 1 and/or Part 6.
• Emergency lighting certificate — Where emergency lighting is installed, an original certificate showing it was inspected, tested and serviced within the 12 months prior to application, complying with BS 5266.

• cheltenham.gov.uk
• cheltenham.gov.uk
• cheltenham.gov.uk
• democracy.cheltenham.gov.uk

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