South East
HMO licensing in Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells Borough 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 Tunbridge Wells (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £813 (£701 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £813
Renewal £701
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells Borough 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 £813, and £701 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Fees are banded by occupancy rather than a single flat fee. From 1 April 2026 (following a review of the fee structure 'to provide more streamlined options, and to reflect the time taken to licence HMOs in our area'), new/grant licence fees are £813 for 5-7 occupants and £908 for 8 or more occupants. Renewal fees are £701 for 5-7 occupants and £748 for 8 or more occupants. No accredited-landlord discount or instalment plan is published on the council's HMO or fees-and-charges pages. Figures below use the 5-7 occupant band as the representative fee.
Check the current fee on the council website (tunbridgewells.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard). |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard). |
| Child under 10 | 4.64 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard). |
| Notes | The council's public HMO page states that all HMOs, licensed or not, 'must meet our HMO standards' but does not itemise room-size figures on its public pages, and no separate bespoke amenity-standards document could be located. Figures above are the national statutory minimums under the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, applied as a fallback, not a confirmed bespoke council figure. |
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 current inspection and test certificate for the fire alarm system must be submitted with the application.
- A current inspection and test certificate for emergency lighting must be submitted where emergency lighting is installed.
- The council states that whether or not an HMO requires a licence, it must meet the council's HMO standards, but does not itemise fire-safety specifications on the public HMO page.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Amenity standards are referenced via the council's general 'HMO standards' but are not itemised (e.g. kitchen/bathroom ratios) on the public HMO licensing page; contact the Private Sector Housing team for the underlying standards document.
Documents you will need
- Tenancy agreement — Standard tenancy agreement used for the property.
- EICR — Current electrical installation condition report.
- Gas safety certificate — Required if there is gas to the property.
- Fire alarm certificate — Inspection and test certificate for the fire alarm/detection system.
- Emergency lighting certificate — Inspection and test certificate for emergency lighting, if present.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.