HMO licensing in Cotswold

Cotswold District 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 £1,360, and £1,255 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Fee is split into two parts: a non-refundable application fee (Part 1), and a licence issue fee (Part 2) invoiced only if the application succeeds. Figures confirmed both on the council's live HMO webpage and in its adopted Discretionary Fees and Charges Schedule 2026/27 (in force from 1 April 2026), which shows a large increase over the 2025/26 rate (new licence total rose from £840 to £1,360; renewal total from £770 to £1,255). A discounted renewal total (£1,255 instead of the full £1,360 new-application rate) applies only if: the renewal application is received at least 28 days before the existing licence expires; required documents are received before expiry; there have been no structural/significant changes to the HMO since the last licence; there is no outstanding enforcement action; and no significant hazard or breach is found at the renewal inspection. An additional room fee applies for HMOs with 7 or more letting rooms: £41.50/room (new application) or £21.00/room (discounted renewal, capped at £200 total). Licences now last 5 years (increased from 3 years by Cabinet decision on 10 July 2025, effective 1 September 2025). Separately, the 2026/27 fees schedule also introduces a standalone 'Fit and Proper Person Assessment' fee of £275.00 and a 'Fit and Proper Person compliance fee' of £86.00, which did not exist in 2025/26 and may be charged in addition to the licence fee for some applicants — this is noted but not included in totalGbp/renewalGbp since it is not consistently itemised as part of the core licence fee in the source documents. No accredited-landlord discount scheme is mentioned in any source; the only discount identified is the well-managed-property renewal discount described above.

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

• All HMOs require fire detection/alarms throughout the escape route, in kitchens and in the principal habitable room; bedsit-type HMOs (individual letting rooms on separate tenancies) also require detection/alarms in all risk rooms, including letting rooms and communal areas such as lounges and dining rooms. The council refers to the LACORS 'Housing – Fire Safety' guide, and the precise standard for each property is determined by an inspection from the Private Sector Housing Team.
• A fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and Fire Safety Act 2021 is required, and a copy must be submitted as part of the HMO licence application.
• Final exit doors and doors to individual lettings must be openable from the inside without a key; there must be no key-operated locks anywhere along the escape route (internally or externally).
• Furniture must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended).
• A Carbon Monoxide alarm is required in any room used as living accommodation (including bathrooms/toilets) that contains a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker, per the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

• Bathrooms/toilets scale with occupancy: 3–4 occupiers need 1 bathroom (bath/shower + wash-hand basin) and 1 toilet (may be combined with the bathroom); 5 occupiers need 1 bathroom plus 1 toilet that must be separate, with its own basin; 6–7 occupiers need 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets; 8–10 occupiers need 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets (at least one toilet in a separate compartment with a basin); each additional 5 occupiers requires one more bathroom and one more toilet.
• Shared kitchens scale with occupancy: 3–4 occupiers need a 6 sqm kitchen (10 sqm if a kitchen-diner) with 4 hob rings, 1 oven/grill and 1 sink; 5–7 occupiers need 9 sqm (13 sqm kitchen-diner); 8–10 occupiers need 12 sqm (16 sqm kitchen-diner) with additional cooking, sink, worktop, socket, storage and fridge/freezer capacity. No single shared kitchen may serve more than 10 occupiers.
• Fixed, controllable heating must be able to maintain (at an external temperature of -1°C): 21°C in reception rooms and kitchens, 18°C in bedrooms, 22°C in bathrooms, and 19°C in hallways. Portable paraffin/oil/LPG heaters and open-flame heat sources (including wood-burners) are not permitted under any circumstances.
• Planning permission is required for all HMOs with 7 or more occupiers, separate from and in addition to the HMO licence.
• Windows/ventilation: units of accommodation need natural light glazing of at least 1/10th of floor area and openable window ventilation of at least 1/20th of floor area; kitchens, bathrooms and toilets without adequate natural ventilation require externally-vented mechanical ventilation.

• Layout plan — Showing each storey of the building, room locations, room dimensions and the location of amenities.
• Proof of ID — Showing the permanent address of the proposed licence holder.
• Fit and proper person assessment — Required for the licence holder and manager; a separate £275 Fit and Proper Person Assessment fee (plus £86 compliance fee) was introduced in the council's 2026/27 fees schedule.
• EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) — Most recent report, required under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 (re-inspection at least every 5 years).
• EET/PAT certificate — Electrical Equipment Testing (formerly Portable Appliance Testing), where applicable, for landlord-provided appliances more than 12 months old.
• Fire alarm test schedule — Current schedule evidencing testing of the fire detection/alarm system.
• Emergency lighting test certificate — Where emergency lighting is installed.
• Service contract for alarm and safety equipment — Where applicable.
• Gas safety certificate — Current landlord's Gas Safety Record, where the property has gas appliances.
• Fire safety risk assessment — Assessment of means of escape and fire precautions, required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 / Fire Safety Act 2021.
• Building Regulations completion certificates — Where relevant building work has been carried out.
• Basic DBS check — Basic Disclosure and Barring Service check for the licence holder/manager.

• cotswold.gov.uk
• meetings.cotswold.gov.uk
• meetings.cotswold.gov.uk
• meetings.cotswold.gov.uk
• meetings.cotswold.gov.uk

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