East of England
HMO licensing in Maldon
Maldon District Council 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 Maldon (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £1,099 (£758 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £1,099
Renewal £758
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Maldon
Maldon 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.
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,099, and £758 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Official 'Environmental Fees from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027' schedule: HMO licence new £1,099 (covers up to 5 habitable rooms), renewal £758, plus £61 per extra room above 5 (the 2019 committee report describes the per-room charge as applying to each bedroom/letting over five). Fee is in two parts: Part A (cost of the application) and Part B (cost of issuing and associated activities); if a licence is refused only the Part B fee is refunded. Licence valid 5 years; payment is made with the application. totalGbp is therefore the base fee for up to 5 rooms and scales upward with room count. No accredited-landlord discount and no instalment option is published on the pages checked.
Check the current fee on the council website (maldon.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum for one person aged over 10 (Essex HMO Amenity Standards, Table 1, adopted by Maldon; matches the national minimum). Rooms under 4.64 m² must not be used for sleeping. |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum for two people over 10 (Essex HMO Amenity Standards, Table 1). Larger sizes apply where there is no shared living room or facilities: the Essex table also lists 8.5 m² (1 person) / 12 m² (2 people) where the kitchen is shared but there is no shared living room, and 11 m² / 15 m² for bedsits/studios with own facilities. |
| Child under 10 | 4.64 m² minimum for one person under 10 (national minimum, cited in the Essex HMO Amenity Standards). |
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
- A fire safety risk assessment is required for all HMOs and shared buildings (except cohesive single-tenancy sharer groups) - Essex HMO Amenity Standards, Table 5; the council also asks for a copy with the licence application.
- One suitably located fire blanket in each shared kitchen (and in each bedsit/studio kitchen), to the current BS EN / BS 6575 standard at application or renewal.
- External doors must be openable from inside without a key; individual letting doors should have a thumb-turn lock/latch so escape does not need a key (except genuine cohesive shared houses).
- Under the HMO Management Regulations (Maldon leaflet), all means of escape must be kept free from obstruction and fire doors, alarm systems, extinguishers and fire blankets kept in working order.
- Application asks for a current fire alarm test certificate and emergency lighting test certificate where applicable. The Essex standards refer to 2008 national (LACORS) fire safety guidance and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service but do not set out detailed alarm-grade specifications.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Shared kitchen (Essex Table 2): up to 5 occupants 7 m², 6 occupants 8.5 m², 7 occupants 10 m², 8-10 occupants 14 m² (or two 7 m² kitchens); worktop 2.4 m (up to 5) rising to 2.8 m (7) and 4 m (8-10); 4 hobs/2 ovens/1-2 sinks for up to 5 occupants, more for larger numbers (see table).
- Food storage: one 500 mm base unit or 1000 mm wall unit per occupant, plus a fridge shelf and freezer shelf per occupant.
- Shared bathrooms (Essex Table 3): under 5 occupants 1 bathroom + 1 WC/wash basin; 5 occupants 1 bathroom plus a separate WC with wash basin; 6-8 occupants 2 bathrooms and 2 WCs; 9-10 occupants 2 bathrooms and 2 WCs (one WC separate). Hot and cold water to all basins, baths and showers; bathroom no more than one floor from bedroom.
- Minimum bathroom areas: shower only 1.7 m², shower and basin 2.0 m², shower/WC/basin 2.2 m², bath only 2.3 m², bath and basin 2.5 m², bath/WC/basin 2.8 m².
- Shared living/dining room where provided (Essex Table 1): 11 m² up to 5 occupants rising to 16.5 m² for 10.
- Heating capable of 21C in living/sleeping rooms and 22C in bathrooms; portable paraffin/LPG heaters prohibited. Mechanical extract ventilation in bathrooms/kitchens/WCs lacking openable windows. Habitable rooms need glazing of 1/10 floor area and openable window of 1/20 floor area; minimum ceiling height 2130 mm.
- Electrical sockets: 2 double sockets per bedroom in shared houses; 3 double sockets above worktops in shared kitchens.
Documents you will need
- Proof of address of licence holder — Evidence of the permanent residential address of the proposed licence holder.
- Electrical installation condition report (EICR) — Most recent EICR for the property.
- Fire risk assessment — Fire risk safety assessment for the property.
- Floor plans — Plans showing the size, layout and position of each room.
- Fire alarm test certificate — Current certificate, if applicable (marked optional on the application page).
- Emergency lighting test certificate — Current certificate, if applicable (marked optional).
- Gas safety certificate — Current landlord's Gas Safe certificate, if applicable (marked optional).
- PAT certificate — Most recent portable appliance test certificate, if applicable (marked optional).
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Maldon District Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.