HMO licensing in Eastbourne

Eastbourne 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 £1,140, and £799 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

For a 'Shared House' (unrelated sharers with own bedrooms, shared kitchen/bathroom — the category a 5+/2+ households mandatory HMO normally falls into): NEW licence £1,140 (5 persons), £1,158 (6), £1,176 (7), £1,194 (8), £1,213 (9), then £17.06 per additional person; RENEWAL £799 (5), £816 (6), £830 (7), £844 (8), £858 (9), then £14.85 per additional person. Fees can be paid in full or in two stages: pre-approval/processing (£760 at 5 persons) and fee-to-issue/compliance for the life of the 5-year licence (£380 at 5 persons). Bedsit HMOs are charged on a higher scale (new £1,283 for 2 bedsits up to £1,573 for 6, +£72 each thereafter; renewal £917-£1,150, +£58 each) and hostels on a size-banded scale (£1,140 up to 10 persons, to £2,943 for 81+). Ancillary charges: pre-application advice £185, missed appointment £100, unlicensed-HMO inspection £350, paper form £50, late application £50. No accredited-landlord discount is published.

Check the current fee on the council website (lewes-eastbourne.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 precaution facilities and equipment appropriate to the property, per the (former) LACORS Housing - Fire Safety Guide referenced in the council's standards.
• Where a fire alarm and/or emergency lighting system is installed, the licence holder must keep a maintenance logbook evidencing annual tests and periodic checks carried out in accordance with BS 5839 Part 6 and Part 1, and must make provision for future inspections.
• All landlord-supplied soft furnishings must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended), with compliance labels left in place.
• Bedsit/self-contained-flat HMOs may require a Fire Safety Risk Assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

• Bathrooms/WCs scale with occupancy: up to 4 occupiers = 1 bathroom + 1 WC (may be combined) with wash hand basins; 5 occupiers = 1 bathroom + 1 separate WC with basin; 6-8 occupiers = 2 bathrooms + 2 WCs with basins; 9-10 occupiers = 2 bathrooms + 2 separate WCs with basins; 11-15 occupiers = 3 bathrooms + 3 separate WCs with basins. Splashbacks required: 300mm to baths/basins, full height for showers.
• Kitchens must be equipped per the council's schedule (cooker, sink, food storage, worktop, fridge/freezer, extractor fan, fire blanket and fire door where relevant); a second fully-equipped kitchen is required once occupancy reaches 10 or more.
• Each unit of living accommodation must have adequate fixed space heating capable of reaching and maintaining 21°C, with occupant-controllable heating in each letting room.
• Gas safety certificate required annually (Gas Safe registered engineer) where gas is supplied; retained for at least 2 years.
• EICR required, based on BS 7671 Appendix 6, carried out by a competent electrical engineer and valid for up to 5 years; any C1 ('danger present') or C2 ('potentially dangerous') items must be rectified as a minimum.

• Gas Safety Certificate — Current annual certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer covering common ways and all rented parts, if gas is supplied.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Based on BS 7671 Appendix 6, carried out by a competent electrical engineer, valid up to 5 years; C1/C2 defects must be rectified.
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Most recent EPC including the recommendation report.
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting logbook — Evidencing annual tests and periodic checks to BS 5839 Part 6 and Part 1, where systems are installed.
• Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) compliance — Landlord-supplied soft furnishings must carry compliance labels.
• Fire Safety Risk Assessment — Required for bedsit/self-contained-flat HMOs under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Written statement of tenancy rights/obligations — Provided to tenants, including an anti-social behaviour clause.
• Manager's contact notice — Displayed notice with the name, address, telephone and emergency contact number of the person managing the house.

• lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk
• lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk
• lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk
• lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk

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