London
HMO licensing in Kingston upon Thames
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. No additional or selective licensing scheme is currently in force in Kingston upon Thames (checked September 2026). The council does not publish a single licence fee, so check its fees page.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
Not published
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Kingston upon Thames
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 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.
Licence fees
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames does not publish a single figure we could confirm. Fees are set by the council and reviewed each year, so check its fees page.
The fee is charged per letting (each separately let room/unit): £319.40 per letting for a new licence, £250 per letting to renew. Discounts: £100 off new applications only for landlords/managers accredited under UKLAP or an equivalent scheme; a 50% reduction on both new applications and renewals for registered charities. There is no fee to vary an existing licence unless additional rooms are being added, in which case the per-letting rate applies to the extra rooms. The council does not publish a Part A/Part B split for this fee.
Check the current fee on the council website (kingston.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area for one person aged 10 or over (national HMO space standard, referenced by the council's HMO Standards guidance). |
|---|---|
| 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 (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 fire detection and alarm provision appropriate to the property, and maintain means of escape free from obstruction, in line with Housing Act 2004 and LACORS housing fire safety guidance referenced by the council.
- Maintain fire-fighting equipment and emergency lighting where required by the property's fire risk assessment.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Provide amenities (kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities) sufficient for the number of occupiers to avoid overcrowding.
- Keep shared facilities in good working order and appropriate to the number of households sharing them.
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.
- Accurate room measurements — Measurements for all rooms in the property, checked against statutory minimum room sizes.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.