HMO licensing in Folkestone & Hythe

Folkestone & Hythe 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 £1,130, and £960 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

The council's HMO licence page states 'HMO fees (inclusive of VAT): Application fee £1130, Renewal fee £960'. The fee appears to be a single flat amount regardless of occupant or room numbers (no tiers published) and is paid online at the end of the application form (no instalments published). No landlord-accreditation or landlord-association discount is published on the page.

Check the current fee on the council website (folkestone-hythe.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 precautions follow the LACORS 'Housing - Fire Safety' guidance; standards are agreed with Kent Fire and Rescue Service (Kent local authorities partnership guidance, v5 2026).
• Fire risk assessment required for premises with common parts under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (enforced by Kent Fire and Rescue Service).
• Automatic fire detection and alarm system to BS 5839 Part 6, with type reflecting risk, layout and number of storeys; weekly testing by the responsible person recorded in a logbook and a maintenance contract with a competent contractor.
• Emergency lighting to BS 5266 in large buildings with long or complex escape routes, no natural/borrowed light on escape routes or vulnerable occupiers.
• Fire blanket conforming to BS EN 1869 in each kitchen area; multi-purpose extinguishers (shared kitchens and each floor of common parts) may be required subject to the fire risk assessment, with annual servicing and occupier training if provided.
• Fire doors FD30 (BS 476-22 or BS EN 1634-1, installed to BS 8214) on three 100 mm steel butt hinges with intumescent strip and cold smoke seals, self-closers, gaps no more than 4 mm; escape doors openable from inside without a key.
• Fire separation between units, common parts and kitchens of at least 30 minutes (60 minutes in some circumstances); loft hatches 30 minutes; holes and voids filled with fire-resisting material.
• Escape windows where relied on: unobstructed openable area at least 0.33 m² with minimum 450 mm height and 450 mm width, bottom of opening no more than 1,100 mm above floor, serving rooms no more than 4.5 m above ground.
• Emergency signage to BS 5499 in larger/complex premises, fire action notices and written fire safety instructions for occupiers; sprinklers may allow some relaxation of other measures. Furniture must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

• Bathrooms (a bathroom has bath or shower, wash hand basin and toilet): 1-4 persons at least 1 bathroom; 5 persons 1 bathroom plus 1 separate WC with wash hand basin (WC may be inside a second bathroom); 6-10 persons at least 2 bathrooms plus 1 separate WC with basin (may be within a third bathroom); 11-15 persons at least 3 bathrooms plus 1 separate WC with basin (may be within a fourth bathroom). Where reasonably practicable a wash hand basin in each sleeping room for 6+ persons.
• Facilities no more than 1 floor from any bedroom and reachable from internal communal areas; bathrooms need mechanical ventilation extracting 15 litres/second; separate WC compartments need an openable window of 5% floor area or 6 litres/second extraction.
• Kitchens (shared use): a sink with constant hot and cold water and draining board per 5 occupants (a dishwasher counts as a second sink); a cooker with 4-ring hob, oven and grill per 5 occupants (a 27-litre combination microwave with oven and grill acceptable as the second cooker); two worktop-height refrigerators with freezer compartments (or 1 fridge plus 1 freezer) per 5 occupiers.
• Kitchen worktop (fixed, impervious): 600 x 1000 mm for 1-3 persons; 600 x 2000 mm for 4-6; 600 x 3000 mm for 7-10; 600 x 4000 mm for 11-15. Storage: 0.3 m³ dry goods cupboard (other than the sink base unit) per occupant. Minimum two double sockets at worktop height plus one per major appliance.
• Exclusive-use kitchens (bedsits): sink and draining board; cooker with 4-ring hob, oven and grill for a 2-person unit (2-ring hob, oven and grill acceptable for 1 person); worktop-height fridge with freezer compartment.
• Kitchen mechanical ventilation extracting 60 litres/second (30 litres/second if within 300 mm of the hob centre line). Fixed, controllable heating in all rooms including common areas, capable of 21°C with -1°C outside.
• Electrical installation tested at least every 5 years (no Code 1 or 2 hazards); portable appliances supplied by landlord EET/PAT tested; annual Gas Safe certificate provided to tenants; carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (except gas cookers); household waste and recycling provision.

• Sketch plan of each floor — Showing bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, numbered units of accommodation, approximate room sizes, and the location of heat/smoke detectors; need not be to scale. Uploaded via MyAccount.
• Gas safety certificate — Most recent annual certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer, uploaded with the application.
• Electrical installation certificate/report — Evidence of a satisfactory electrical installation inspection (tested at least every 5 years) with the inspection date.
• PAT / EET testing record — Record or certificate for portable appliances supplied by the landlord.
• Furniture fire safety evidence — Declaration and, where available, labels or receipts showing furniture complies with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
• Planning/conversion paperwork — Confirmation of planning permission for HMO use (landlords must check); details and any paperwork for conversion date, planning or building regulation approval, and professional plans if they reflect the current layout.
• Owner, leaseholder and management details — Names and contact details of freeholders, leaseholders, manager, licence holder (must be local to the property, with case-by-case exceptions) and management arrangements including emergency contact, rent collection and repairs.
• Fit and proper person declarations — Confidential disclosures on relevant offences, discrimination findings and any local authority housing action, for the licence holder, associates and (if different) manager.
• Occupier details — Number of people and households, names of current occupiers (including children), tenancy types, and the maximum number of people and households the landlord intends to let to.
• Notification of relevant parties — Written notice of the application to mortgagee, freeholder/head lessor, long leaseholders, proposed licence holder, managing agent and anyone bound by licence conditions.
• Application fee — £1,130 new / £960 renewal (inclusive of VAT), paid online at the end of the application form.

• folkestone-hythe.gov.uk
• folkestone-hythe.gov.uk
• folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

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