Apply for a new HMO Licence

To make a licence application valid (and thus for a landlord to fulfil their statutory duty to apply for a licence) we need: 

1. A fully completed application form: Complete this online, or you can request a paper copy.
2. A signed Declaration: We will send this to you to complete and return.
3. The fee paid in full: We will send you a payment reference number and amount due.

Information you need for an application 

You must provide contact details for all interested parties, including:

• Applicant
• Proposed Licence Holder
• Manager(s)
• Owner / Joint Owners
• Any Long Term Tenant(s) / Leaseholder(s)
• Any other person willing to be bound by the conditions of the licence
• The Mortgage provider(s) and relevant account number(s)

You must have informed all of these people of your intention to apply for an HMO licence before submitting your application, and you will be asked to provide the date on which you (the Applicant) informed each party.

If you are an existing licence holder operating HMOs with 5 year licences in the city, you may be eligible for a 5 year licence where:

• the HMO was acquired and/or you began operating within the previous 12 weeks of making the application; or 
• the application is for a change in the licence holder. At the time of the application all other relevant criteria for a 5 year licence must be met.

See our Five Year HMO licence application criteria page for deatils. 

You must also provide details of:

• Knowledge of the criminal record, if any, of the Applicant, Proposed Licence Holder and Manager
• Details of relevant accreditations, qualifications and professional memberships
• Knowledge of the existing Planning status of the house
• Details regarding the facilities and amenities of the house
• Details of the tenancy agreement(s)
• Details of the scheme in which the tenancy deposits are held

Please note:

• We must have separate contact details for all interested parties.
• Applicants who do not have their own email address can nominate a relative, friend or colleague to receive email communications on their behalf.
• Applicants who do not have their own access to the web can arrange with a relative, friend or colleague to submit an application on their behalf. Alternatively, public computers are available in public libraries.

Apply online for HMO Licence

After you have submitted the application form, a copy of what you submit will be automatically emailed back to you. Please keep this as proof of submission.

We aim to issue a new application within 18 weeks from the date of application (due to Coronavirus, we have extended deadlines for landlords and therefore have extended the processing time – it was previously 16 weeks). Issuing a licence within this time frame is dependent on the landlord supplying the required information and payment within timescales and that no representations are made. Where information or payments are late, or representations made, then the processing time will be longer. Tacit consent does not apply given that we have to check the HMO meets the prescribed standards. If you have not heard from us within 18 weeks, then please contact us. Last year (2019/20), 90.59% of licences were issued within 16 weeks of application date.

HMO Licence Pre-application Advice Visits

If the property is not yet an HMO, and you would like us to visit your property to advise you on the HMO licensing requirements before you apply for a licence, please contact us using the link below. There is a charge for this service, see our Fees and Charges page for details.

Book a pre-licensing advice visit