HMO licensing in Gloucester

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,260, and £900 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Mandatory-scheme HMO licence fees for 2026-27, per the Council's own committee-approved Fees and Charges schedule (Appendix G, Democracy report s66035): Standard Application Fee payable on initial application (Parts 1 and 2 inclusive) £1,260.00; Renewal Application Fee £900.00; HMO Licence application support service (including drafting of floor plans, optional) £330.00. These same figures (£1,260 new / £900 renewal) apply to the new city-wide Additional Licensing Designation once it takes effect. No accredited-landlord discount was found.

Check the current fee on the council website (gloucester.gov.uk) before you apply.

Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.

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.

• Interlinked smoke detectors required in hallways/landings and a heat detector in the kitchen and high-risk rooms as a minimum, mains-wired with battery back-up, complying with BS 5839:2019 Part 6 Grade D:LD2; requirements increase with storeys and number of kitchens.
• In properties of 3+ storeys, all bedroom, kitchen and living room doors opening onto the protected escape route must be 30-minute fire doors, self-closing, with intumescent strips/cold smoke seals and openable from inside without a key; in properties under 3 storeys a fire door is only required on high-risk rooms containing kitchen facilities.
• Emergency lighting may be required in HMOs of 3+ storeys or where escape routes are long/complex; must be mains-wired with battery back-up and tested annually.
• All rooms containing cooking facilities require a fire blanket sited 1.2-1.5m from the floor, not stored in a drawer/cupboard.
• A fire risk assessment (FRA) must be carried out and shared with the Council's Residential Services Team.
• Furniture and furnishings must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended 2010).

• Bathrooms: up to 5 people may share one bathroom (toilet, wash-hand basin, bath/shower); up to 6 people if there is an additional separate WC and wash-hand basin; two full bathrooms suffice for up to 10 people sharing.
• Shared kitchens (up to 5 persons): sink with drainer and splashback, 4-ring cooker with oven and grill, 3 double 13-amp sockets (in addition to fixed-appliance sockets), 1000mm x 600mm worktop, lockable food storage per occupant, fridge 130L+/freezer 60L+, 50L+ waste bin, mechanical ventilation of 60 l/s (or 30 l/s if sited within 300mm of hob centre). Requirements scale up for 6-7, 8-10 and 11+ occupant bands (additional sink/cooker/worktop/storage/fridge-freezer, or a second kitchen for 11+).
• Kitchen floor area: minimum 7 sqm for 5 tenants, plus 1 sqm per extra tenant; total combined kitchen + communal living space scales from 16 sqm (3 persons) up to 26 sqm (10 persons).
• Exclusive-use in-room kitchens (self-contained lettings): single sink, 2-ring hob with integrated oven or combination microwave, 2 double sockets, fixed worktop, lockable storage, fridge 80L+/freezer 30L+, 20L+ bin, same ventilation standard as shared kitchens.
• All bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms must be within the same building; annex rooms not part of the main building require separate planning permission and building control compliance and must be fully self-contained.

• Gas safety certificate — Annual Gas Safety Record from a Gas Safety Registered engineer, per the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report at intervals not exceeding 5 years, per the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
• Fire risk assessment — Required as part of demonstrating compliance with fire safety standards.
• Floor plan — Layout plan of the property; the Council offers a paid application-support service (£330) that includes drafting floor plans for landlords who need help.
• Management arrangements / fit and proper person information — Evidence of suitable financial and management arrangements and that the proposed licence holder/manager is a fit and proper person, per Housing Act 2004.

• gloucester.gov.uk
• gloucester.gov.uk
• democracy.gloucester.gov.uk
• gloucester.gov.uk

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