London
HMO licensing in Hounslow
London Borough of Hounslow requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs additional licensing, which brings smaller HMOs (typically 3 or 4 people) into licensing. The published licence fee starts at £1,608.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £1,608
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Hounslow
Hounslow's borough-wide Additional HMO Licensing scheme (HMOs with 3 or more people in 2 or more households, including converted-building HMOs) has been in force since 11 December 2025 and ends on 10 December 2030. It renewed the previous additional scheme; no separate selective scheme is listed by the council.
- In force from
- 11 December 2025
- Scheme ends
- 10 December 2030
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,608. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
HMO licence fee schedule published on the council's fees and refunds page, applying to both the national mandatory scheme and the borough-wide additional scheme: £1,608 standard, reduced to £1,509 for accredited landlords (members of LLAS, NLA, RLA, ARLA, NALS, RICS or UKALA), plus £25 per household in the HMO. The council does not publish a Part A/Part B split or a separate renewal amount on its public fees page. An extra charge applies if the council must assist with measuring rooms and producing a sketch plan. Full refunds are only given for duplicate applications or applications relating to a non-licensable property.
Check the current fee on the council website (hounslow.gov.uk) before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
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.
Additional licence
£1,608
Base fee for a new HMO licence application (same fee schedule for additional and mandatory licences) at the standard rate; an extra £25 per household in the HMO is added on top of the base fee, so the total depends on the number of households
Base fee is £1,509 for accredited landlords (LLAS, NLA, RLA, ARLA, NALS, RICS, UKALA members). Optional room-measuring and sketch plan assistance is charged separately at £32 per room.
Scheme: From 11 December 2025 to 10 December 2030
Checked 2 October 2026 against hounslow.gov.uk
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area for one person aged 10 or over (national HMO space standard). |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum floor area for two people aged 10 or over (national HMO space standard). |
| Child bedroom | 4.64 m² minimum floor area for one person aged under 10; rooms below this size cannot be used as sleeping accommodation (national HMO space standard). |
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 safety requirements
- Provide and maintain smoke alarms and, where required, a fire detection and alarm system appropriate to the layout of the property, in line with the Housing Act 2004 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
- Keep escape routes and fire doors clear and in working order, and provide fire-fighting equipment (such as fire blankets/extinguishers) where the property's fire risk assessment requires it.
- Maintain a current fire risk assessment appropriate to the property's layout and occupancy.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Provide kitchen facilities adequate for the number of occupiers, including cooking, food storage and washing-up facilities with constant hot and cold water.
- Provide sufficient bathrooms and toilets for the number of occupiers, kept clean, safe and in good repair.
- Keep the property free from overcrowding relative to its licensed occupancy and the level of amenities provided.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Within the last 12 months for every gas appliance on the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, dated within the last five years.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
- Floor plan with room dimensions — Showing every room and its floor area; the council charges extra to measure rooms and produce this plan for you.
- Fire risk assessment — Current assessment of the property's means of escape, alarms and fire precautions.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with London Borough of Hounslow before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.