HMO licensing in Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks 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 £1,031.17, and £1,031.17 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

New HMO licence application (up to 5 units of accommodation): £1,031.17, plus £24.40 for each additional unit above five. Renewal applications are also £1,031.17 (no discounted renewal rate found). A separate fee of £102.50 per habitable room applies to vary a licence to increase the number of occupiers. The fee is split into two stages: Part A (application and processing) Stage 1 fee of £681.75, and Part B (administration and enforcement) Stage 2 fee covering the remaining balance (£349.42 for a standard up-to-5-unit application). No accredited-landlord discount is mentioned on the council's page.

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

• Where common parts are shared by residents or available to paying guests, a fire risk assessment is required to meet the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, available for inspection by Kent Fire and Rescue Service.
• An automatic fire detection and alarm system is required, installed in accordance with BS 5839: Part 6.
• Emergency lighting system required to comply with BS 5266, in consultation with the council.
• A fire blanket conforming to BS EN 1869:1997 required in each shared kitchen; fire extinguishers (2kg dry powder, 13A/70B rating) may be required in shared kitchens and on landings depending on risk assessment.
• Fire doors must conform to BS 476 Part 22 (FD30 type) or BS EN 1634-1, fitted with intumescent strips, cold smoke seals and self-closing devices; fire-separating structures require a minimum of 30 minutes' fire resistance (up to 60 minutes in some circumstances).
• Furniture must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended 1989 and 1993).
• Fire warning/detection systems, emergency lighting and extinguishers must be under a maintenance contract and tested weekly by the responsible person, with results logged.

• Personal washing/toilet facilities scale with occupancy: 1-4 persons need at least 1 bathroom and 1 WC (can be combined); 5 persons need 1 bathroom plus 1 separate WC with WHB; 6-10 persons need a WHB in each sleeping room plus at least 2 bathrooms and 2 separate WCs; 11-15 persons need a WHB in each sleeping room plus at least 3 bathrooms and 3 separate WCs.
• Bathrooms require mechanical ventilation extracting 15 litres/second to outside air (in addition to windows); toilets in separate compartments need a window equal to 1/20th of floor area or mechanical ventilation at 6 litres/second.
• Shared kitchens require a sink with constant hot/cold water and draining board per 5 occupants, and a cooker (4-ring hob, oven, grill) per 5 occupants; kitchen area minimums scale from 5 m² (1-3 persons sharing) up to 11 m² (7-10 persons).
• Kitchen mechanical ventilation must extract 60 litres/second to outside air (or 30 litres/second if sited within 300mm of the hob centre line); minimum worktop sizes scale from 600mm x 1000mm (1-3 persons) to 600mm x 3000mm (7-10 persons).
• Fixed heating must maintain 21°C when it is -1°C outside, available at all times and under the occupier's control, in line with the Government's Decent Homes Standard.
• Electrical installations must be tested every 5 years by a competent electrical engineer; portable appliances must be PAT tested; gas appliances must be tested annually by a Gas Safe registered contractor with a copy provided to tenants.

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Annual test by a Gas Safe registered contractor for all gas appliances, with a copy given to tenants; referenced in the council's HMO amenity standards guidance (not confirmed as an explicit uploaded-document list on the application page itself).
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Council guidance requires the electrical installation to be tested every 5 years by a competent electrical engineer.
• Floor plan — Not explicitly confirmed on the council's published HMO page at the time of research; commonly requested by councils operating this national licensing scheme. Contact Private Sector Housing (psh@sevenoaks.gov.uk / 01732 227000) to confirm the current application document list.

• sevenoaks.gov.uk
• sevenoaks.gov.uk
• sevenoaks.gov.uk
• gov.uk

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