HMO licensing in Mid Devon

Mid Devon 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 £1,083, and £615 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Figures taken directly from Mid Devon's own 'Private Sector Housing Fees and Charges' page, headed '2026/2027'. New licence fees are split into two parts by number of units/lettings: 3-5 units = Part 1 £814.00 + Part 2 £269.00 = £1,083.00 total; 6-10 units = Part 1 £904.00 + Part 2 £269.00 = £1,173.00 total; 11+ units = Part 1 £993.00 + Part 2 £269.00 = £1,262.00 total. Licence Renewal fees (single figure, no Part 1/2 split shown) are lower: 3-5 units = £615.00; 6-10 units = £660.00; 11+ units = £705.00. No accredited-landlord or landlord-association discount is mentioned anywhere on this current fees page.

Check the current fee on the council website (middevon.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.

• As a minimum, a smoke alarm must be installed on each storey and kept in proper working order; fire alarm systems and firefighting equipment must be inspected and serviced annually by competent persons.
• Communal escape routes must have emergency lighting complying with the current code of practice, sufficient to illuminate the route and any fire alarm call points, and must be kept clear and free from obstruction at all times.
• Fire door and detection requirements are tiered by property risk category and storey count in the council's HMO Guidelines: e.g. two-storey normal-risk HMOs may rely on suitable escape windows (min. 450mm x 450mm, at least 0.33 m² openable area, not usable if the drop is 4.5m or more) in lieu of a fully protected escape route, while higher-risk/taller properties require FD30 or FD30S fire doors (30-minute fire resistance, self-closing, and with smoke seals for FD30S) to all risk rooms, installed and maintained to BS 8214:1990, plus lobby protection on some floors of 5-6 storey buildings.
• Interlinked, mains-wired smoke alarms with integral battery back-up are required in escape routes at all floor levels (and in each bedsit/lounge/cellar for some property types, per the risk-category tables); where a basement/cellar is present, 30-minute fire separation between the cellar and the ground-floor escape route is required.
• Carbon monoxide alarms must be fitted in any room containing a solid-fuel combustion appliance, and are recommended wherever there is a gas appliance.

• Shared kitchens: a full set of facilities is required for every 5 people sharing - sink with draining board and constant hot/cold water; at least 2.5 m of clear worktop space in total; at least 2 x 500mm lockable storage cupboards per household; a 4-ring cooker (or separate hob and oven), microwave, kettle, toaster, and fridge/freezer; sufficient sockets plus one spare double socket; non-slip flooring; a mechanical extractor fan/cooker hood vented outside; and an approved fire blanket on the wall adjacent to (not above) the cooking facilities.
• Where there is no shared kitchen, each individual unit of accommodation needs its own sink, at least 1 m of worktop, storage cupboards, cooking appliance space, fridge space, sufficient sockets, non-slip flooring, an extractor fan, and a fire blanket - a reduced version of the shared-kitchen list.
• Bathrooms: shared by no more than 5 people, with additional bathrooms/showers required above that; every bathroom must have a fixed bath or shower, non-slip/water-resistant flooring, fixed heating, tiled wet areas and ventilation to outside air; a bathroom containing a WC must also contain a wash-basin.
• Toilets: must have constant water supply and drainage; separate toilets must contain a wash-basin with hot/cold water and a splash back, plus ventilation to outside air.
• Space heating: every unit of accommodation must have fixed heating capable of maintaining 21°C when it is -1°C outside, independently controllable by the occupier, and available at all reasonable times year-round.
• The permitted number of occupants for the whole property is the lower of (a) the total calculated from usable bedroom floor areas and (b) the number the available amenities (WCs, bathrooms, kitchens, shared living space) can support - not simply the floor-area figure in isolation.

• Floor plan of the property — Must show the location of bathrooms/toilets and kitchens, identify each unit of accommodation by number, give room sizes, and show the location of heat/smoke detectors. The council states that not providing a plan may affect whether a licence is issued and/or the conditions attached.
• List of current occupiers — Names of all current occupiers, including children (marked where under 16), on a separate sheet - required as one of the mandatory enclosures alongside the fee and floor plan.
• Gas Safety Certificate — Required only where the property has a gas supply used for appliances.
• Electrical safety certificate (EICR) — Evidence that the electrical installation has been checked and is safe to use, usually in certificate form.
• Portable Appliance Test (PAT) evidence — Any electrical equipment supplied by the landlord must be checked and certified as safe to use.
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — A copy must be provided if one exists for the property.
• Fire risk assessment — Applicants must indicate whether one has been completed; details of smoke detection type/location must also be provided on the floor plan.
• Fire alarm/firefighting equipment maintenance and testing records — Copies of maintenance and testing reports for any installed fire alarm system, plus maintenance records for fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.
• Furniture fire-safety declaration — Confirmation (e.g. a signed list of furniture with a declaration) that all furniture and soft furnishings meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.
• Tenancy agreement / written statement of terms — Evidence of a tenancy agreement or other written terms, including whether it covers anti-social behaviour and repairs.
• Signed declarations — The application's declarations must be signed by the applicant/proposed manager for the application to be valid.
• Application fee — The correct fee (see fee.notes) must be enclosed; the fee, floor plan and occupier list must all be included for the application to be considered valid.

• middevon.gov.uk
• middevon.gov.uk
• middevon.gov.uk
• middevon.gov.uk
• middevon.gov.uk
• middevon.gov.uk

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