HMO licensing in Forest of Dean

Forest of Dean 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 £1,332.51, and £1,230.01 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Fee is split into a Part 1 application fee and a Part 2 licence issue fee (issue fee only payable once the Council is satisfied the licence can be granted). New licence: £240.88 (Part 1) + £1,091.63 (Part 2) = £1,332.51 for a property with up to 6 lettable rooms, plus £41.00 per additional room from the 7th room onward, capped at £400.00 total additional-room charge. Renewal: £240.88 (Part 1) + £989.13 (Part 2) = £1,230.01, plus £21.00 per additional room (7th onward), capped at £200.00. A higher renewal fee (£1,065.00 issue fee + £40.00/room) applies where there have been structural changes, outstanding enforcement action, or a late renewal application. No accredited-landlord discount was found published. Source: Forest of Dean District Council HMO / Apply-for-a-licence pages, current fee schedule as published (site references a 2026-to-2027 fees and charges document at fdean.gov.uk/media/lbep4hfy/licence-fees-and-charges-2026-to-2027.pdf which could not be text-extracted to independently confirm identical figures, but the live HMO licensing web page displays these same figures as the current fees).

Check the current fee on the council website (fdean.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/alarm system required throughout escape routes, kitchens and the principal habitable room in all HMOs; bedsit-type HMOs additionally require detection in all letting rooms and communal risk rooms, assessed against the LACORS 'Housing - Fire Safety' guide and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service expectations.
• Final exit doors and doors to individual lettings must be openable from the inside without a key; no key-operated locks permitted anywhere on the escape route.
• A fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 / Fire Safety Act 2021 must be submitted with the licence application.
• Every kitchen must have a suitably located fire blanket.
• Minimum heating standards apply even outside fire safety: reception rooms and kitchens 21C, bedrooms 18C, bathrooms 22C, hallways 19C, maintainable when outside temperature is -1C; open-flame heaters (paraffin, LPG, wood-burners, open fires) are not permitted under any circumstances.

• Bathrooms/toilets: 3-4 occupiers need 1 bathroom (bath/shower + wash-hand basin) and 1 toilet (can be in the bathroom); 5 occupiers need 1 bathroom plus a separate toilet with wash-hand basin; 6-7 need 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets; 8-10 need 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets (one toilet in a separate compartment); each additional 5 persons requires 1 more bathroom and 1 more toilet, with at least half of all toilets in separate compartments.
• Shared kitchens: up to 5 persons need 4 rings + 1 oven/grill, 1 sink, 1500x600mm worktop, 4 electrical sockets, 0.2m3 storage/person, 30L fridge + 15L freezer space/person; requirements scale up through 6-7 and 8-10 occupant bands; no single kitchen may serve more than 10 people.
• Kitchen/kitchen-diner floor areas scale with occupancy: 3-4 persons 6sqm (10sqm with dining area), 5-7 persons 9sqm (13sqm), 8-10 persons 12sqm (16sqm).
• All bedrooms must have a minimum of 4 electrical sockets (or equivalent, e.g. 2 double sockets).
• Natural light: glazed area at least 1/10th of room floor area; ventilation: openable window area at least 1/20th of room floor area, or mechanical ventilation to kitchens/bathrooms where natural ventilation is inadequate.
• At least 75% of a room must have a ceiling height of at least 2.1m; floor area with ceiling height under 1.5m is excluded from size calculations.

• Layout/floor plan — Plans showing room dimensions and fire precautions marked.
• Proof of identity — ID for the proposed licence holder.
• DBS check — Dated within 6 months of application.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report showing a 'satisfactory' result, within 5 years, per the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) / Electrical Equipment Testing (EET) certificates — Annual testing of landlord-provided electrical appliances over 12 months old.
• Fire alarm test certificate — Current certificate for the fire detection/alarm system.
• Emergency lighting certificate — Where emergency lighting is fitted.
• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current certificate, where gas appliances are present.
• Fire risk assessment — Required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 / Fire Safety Act 2021.
• Building Regulations completion certificates — Where applicable to conversion/construction work.

• fdean.gov.uk
• fdean.gov.uk
• fdean.gov.uk
• gov.uk

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