London
HMO licensing in Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond 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 Richmond upon Thames (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £1,827.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £1,827
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond 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
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,827, and £1,827 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Richmond only runs the mandatory HMO scheme (no additional or selective licensing currently). The fee has two parts: a Fee on Application that scales with bedroom count - from £1,036 (3 bedrooms) up to £1,442 (10+ bedrooms), plus a pro-rata addition for each unit above 10 - and a fixed £675 Fee on Grant of Licence. Total fees therefore range from £1,711 (3 bedrooms) to £2,117 (10+ bedrooms); the 5-bedroom figure (£1,827) is used as the representative total below. Registered charities are exempt from the fee. No accreditation or EPC-linked discounts are published. Renewal applications use the same fee scale as new applications.
Check the current fee on the council website (richmond.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Double bedroom (2 persons aged 10+) | 10.22 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard, SI 2018/616). |
|---|---|
| Single bedroom (1 person aged 10+) | 6.51 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard, SI 2018/616). |
| Room occupied by a child under 10 | 4.64 m² minimum floor area; any room below this cannot be used as sleeping accommodation at all (SI 2018/616). |
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
- Smoke alarms fitted and kept in working order on every storey used as living accommodation.
- Escape routes kept clear of obstruction, with fire doors fitted where required and maintained.
- Carbon monoxide alarms required in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance.
- Fire-fighting equipment provided where appropriate to the property's layout and size.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Adequate kitchen facilities for storing, preparing and cooking food, appropriate to the number of occupiers.
- Adequate number of bathrooms and toilets for the number of occupiers sharing them.
- All shared amenities kept in good decorative repair, clean condition and proper working order.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current annual gas safety record required for every gas appliance in the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report confirming the fixed wiring is safe, required under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
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 Richmond upon Thames before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.