South East
HMO licensing in Woking
Woking Borough Council requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs additional licensing, which brings smaller HMOs (typically 3 or 4 people) into licensing. The published licence fee starts at £880 (£680 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £880
Renewal £680
Decision time
About 8 weeks
The council's stated aim
Licensing schemes in Woking
Woking's borough-wide Additional HMO Licensing Scheme requires a licence for small HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants from 2 or more households. It came into force on 5 January 2026 and ceases on 4 January 2031.
- In force from
- 5 January 2026
- Scheme ends
- 4 January 2031
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £880, and £680 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
New mandatory HMO licence for a 5-bedroom property: Part 1 £750 + Part 2 £130 = £880 (Part 1 is £700 plus £10 for each room let as a bedroom; Part 2 is £130). Renewal for a 5-bedroom property: Part 1 £550 + Part 2 £130 = £680. Discounts apply to Part 1: £100 for an accredited landlord who owns the property and is the licence holder (not companies or managing agents), and £200 for a registered charity or not-for-profit.
Fee source: woking.gov.uk (checked 2 October 2026). Fees change during the year, so check the council before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.
Additional licence
£850
Renewal £650
New additional HMO licence, council's published example of a 2-bedroom property rented to 3 people: Part 1 £720 (£700 + £10 per bedroom) + Part 2 £130. Fee scales with bedrooms: Part 1 is £700 plus £10 for each room let as a bedroom; Part 2 is £130. The council's 4-bedroom, 4-person additional example is £870.
£100 off Part 1 for an accredited landlord who is the licence holder and owns the property (companies and managing agents do not qualify); £200 off Part 1 for registered charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Scheme: From 5 January 2026
Checked 2 October 2026 against woking.gov.uk
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.5 sq m (council-published: child over 10 or single adult in a room with access to shared living space) |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 sq m (council-published: adult couple in a room with access to shared living space) |
| Child under 10 | 4.64 sq m (council-published) |
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
- Mains-powered, interlinked smoke detector required on each floor.
- Mains-powered, interlinked heat detector and a fire blanket required in all kitchens.
- Self-closing fire doors fitted with intumescent or smoke strips required on rooms containing electrical white goods.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) detector required near any gas boiler or solid-fuel-burning appliance.
- Emergency lighting required where escape routes are long or complex.
- Gas Safety Certificate required annually (Gas Safe registered engineer); Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) required every 5 years (accredited electrician).
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Minimum kitchen size for a small HMO: 5 sq m for 3 occupants, 6 sq m for 4 occupants.
- Minimum kitchen size for a large HMO: 7 sq m for 5 occupants, 20 sq m for 6 occupants, 27.5 sq m for 7–10 occupants.
- Minimum shared lounge/communal space for large HMOs: 18 sq m for 5 occupants, 20 sq m for 6 occupants, 27.5 sq m for 7–10 occupants.
- Bedroom without access to shared living space (kitchen-only access) must be larger: single adult at least 10 sq m, couple at least 14 sq m.
- Bedroom that itself contains an integrated kitchen (bedsit) must be at least 13 sq m (single) / 19 sq m (couple).
Documents you will need
- Floor plan — A line drawing of the property including room dimensions.
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Required for all applications.
- Gas Safe Certificate — Required if the property has gas appliances.
- Fire risk assessment — Mandatory HMO licences only.
- Automatic fire detection certificate — Mandatory HMO licences only.
- Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) certificate — Mandatory HMO licences only.
Sources
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.gov.uk
- woking.moderngov.co.uk
- surreypropertylicensing.co.uk
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Woking Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.