HMO licensing in Winchester

Winchester City 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 £1,247, and £983 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Flat fee (does not scale with occupant numbers) in two parts, per the council's HMO page (last updated 7 September 2026): from 1 April 2026 a new licence costs £1,247 = £528 administration fee (payable on submission, non-refundable if a licence is not granted) + £719 management element (payable when the licence is granted); a renewal costs £983 = £264 administration + £719 management. The page also still shows the previous year's figures (£1,201 new = £511 + £690; £947 renewal = £257 + £690), which apply to applications before 1 April 2026. The management element covers running the licensing scheme over the 5-year licence. No accredited-landlord or other discount is published on the HMO page (the Winchester Shared Housing Accreditation Scheme is aimed at 3-4 person HMOs outside mandatory licensing, and no fee discount was found there).

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

• Fire precautions are assessed against the LACORS/CIEH 'Housing - Fire Safety' guidance, which the council links from its HMO page; the fire safety detail is not set out on the page itself.
• Council's HMO licensing facts leaflet (older document, undated on the PDF) says an inspection is carried out before a licence is granted to determine whether fire precautions are up to standard, and the council consults Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service on the fire precaution provision.
• A simple floor plan showing the location of fire detectors and fire doors is required with the application (council publishes an 'HMO floor plan example').
• Landlords must also comply with the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and electrical safety standards (links on the council page); management duties under the HMO Management Regulations 2006 apply.

• Standards: Hampshire Advisory Group Amenity Standards for HMOs (approved 22 October 2008) and HAG Space Standards, both hosted on winchester.gov.uk and linked from the HMO page.
• Bathrooms: 1-4 persons - at least one bathroom and one WC (WC may be in bathroom) with wash hand basin, no basins in bedrooms required; 5 persons - a wash hand basin in each sleeping room plus one bathroom and one separate WC with basin (two bathrooms each with WC and basin also acceptable); 6-10 persons - basins in each bedroom plus two bathrooms and two WCs with basins (one WC may be within a bathroom); 11-15 persons - three bathrooms and three WCs. Bathroom mechanical extraction 15 litres/second.
• Shared kitchen: 1 standard cooker (4 hotplates and oven) per 5 persons (a microwave allows +2 persons up to 7; beyond 7 a second cooker is needed; one cooker per three lettings where households have multiple people); 1 single-bowl sink and drainer per 5 persons (dishwasher counts as a sink); 2 double sockets in the kitchen per 5 persons plus 2 double sockets in each habitable room and single sockets on landing and hall; 2000 x 500 mm worktop per 5 persons (+500 mm per additional person for 5-9); cupboard storage 0.16 m² per person; under-worktop fridge (about 5 cu ft) per 5 persons.
• Bedsit with own kitchen: 2-hotplate and grill cooker, single-bowl sink and drainer, 1000 x 500 mm worktop, 0.16 m² cupboard space, tabletop fridge (about 2 cu ft), 2 double sockets in kitchen area and 2 elsewhere.
• Applicant must be a fit and proper person; licence display and Notice of application / owner's certificate of service documents are provided by the council.

• Online HMO licence application — New or renewal application made online via links on the council's HMO page (hosted by an external provider); name and address appear on the public register.
• Application fee — Administration fee £528 (new) or £264 (renewal) payable on submission; £719 management element payable when the licence is granted (2026-27 figures).
• Gas safety certificate — Valid certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer (council's HMO licensing facts leaflet).
• Floor plan — Simple plan of the layout showing room sizes and the location of fire detectors and fire doors; the council provides an 'HMO floor plan example'.
• Fit and proper person form — The council links an HMO 'Fit and Proper' form; the applicant must be a fit and proper person.
• Notice of application and owner's certificate of service — Council templates: 'Notice of Application to Licence an HMO' and 'HMO3 Owners Certificate of Service' - persons with an interest in the property must be notified.

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