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A new city-wide Additional HMO Licensing Scheme will launch in Peterborough on 26 January 2026. We have published information on this page so you can become familiar with how the scheme works before launch.

We expect our application system to launch in December 2025. Please check this page nearer the time for further details.

On 2 October 2025, we made the decision to introduce Additional HMO Licensing.

This city-wide scheme will come into force on 26 January 2026.

Additional Licensing applies to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) not covered by Mandatory Licensing.

You need an Additional HMO Licence if:

  • Three or four people who are not all related
    AND
  • All or some of them share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen

Freeholders need an Additional Section 257 HMO Licence for:

  • A property with self-contained flats
  • In a building which does not meet the standards of conversion required by 1991 Building Regulations
  • Where more than a third of the tenancies are let out on a shorthold tenancy agreement

How to apply for an additional HMO licence

The Peterborough Additional Licensing Scheme launches on 26 January 2026. This means that property owners who operate HMOs containing three or four persons must apply for a licence from this date.

We will open applications prior to this date (expected in December 2025) for any applicants who wish to make their application before the introduction of the scheme.

We have provided below all the information you need to know about how the Additional Licensing Scheme works. Please read this through carefully.

Home Safe is overseeing the administration of the Additional Licensing Scheme as our direct partner. You must apply directly to Home Safe via their website when the application process opens later this year.

The Home Safe website contains the information you need to apply. They have officers available to guide you through the application process.

We expect our application system to launch in December 2025. Please check this page nearer the time for further details.

About additional HMO licensing

Additional HMO licensing operates in the same way and alongside the existing mandatory HMO licensing scheme. The difference is that mandatory licensing is for HMOs with five or more people, but additional licensing applies to all other HMOs.

Additional licensing means you must meet conditions to let a property as an HMO.

These conditions should lead to:

  • Better managed properties
  • Reduced anti-social behaviour (specifically untidy front gardens and dumping of rubbish)
  • Improved living conditions for tenants

There are eight mandatory conditions set by the government. Councils are allowed to set other conditions that they believe are appropriate.

Who can hold a licence

For every licence there must be a named licence holder. We have a duty to grant a licence to the most appropriate person. In most circumstances, this would be the owner of the property. In some circumstances however, it may be a leaseholder or a manager / managing agent. In some circumstances, a company can hold a licence if they are the most appropriate person to do so. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that an application for a licence is made for their property.

The proposed licence holder must have the power to:

  • Collect rental income
  • Set up and terminate tenancies
  • Access all parts of the dwelling
  • Authorise repairs and maintenance to the property

If the owner nominates a managing agent to be the proposed licence holder, they must have the power to undertake the listed conditions above. The licence holder will be bound by the licence conditions and should be competent.

Licences are not transferable. Therefore, if the licence holder needs to be changed, a new licence application and fee payment will be required.

If the proposed licence holder is not available to manage the property, it is advisable to appoint a local manager who is authorised to deal with emergency repairs and any issues concerning antisocial behaviour.

How long it takes to get a licence and the validity period

It may take up to 26 weeks after receiving your complete application to grant or refuse a licence. Timescales may vary depending on the number of applications we’re processing at the time.

This will be followed by a 28 day consultation period which gives you and all interested parties the chance to ask questions, challenge our decision or make comments. We will give you the notice of the grant or refusal of a licence, as well as a copy of the licence at the end of this consultation period.

Once you have a licence, it is valid until the end of the five year period that the scheme runs for. The licences will all expire on 25 January 2031.

Licences cannot be transferred to another person if you sell the property or the current licence holder dies. See our further information drop-down boxes for more details on these scenarios.

Licence fees

The fee is broken down into two parts. Part A covers the costs associated with processing the licence application. Part B covers the cost of compliance actions relating to the scheme. Part A is payable at the point you submit the licence application. Part B is payable before we issue the final licence.

All other applications for the duration of the Additional Licensing scheme becoming operative:

Part A fee = £588
Part B fee = £512
Total fee = £1,100

Variation fees

Where a licence requires variation, a fee may be charged. Typically, this fee will only be charged if the licence needs to be altered or if further documentation needs to be processed.

There is no charge for changing basic contact information for the licence holder such as phone number or email address. The charge for a variation to the licence is £50. Charges will be made for the following reasons:

  • Change of Licence Holder name
  • Change of Licence Holder personal address
  • Changes to the property resulting in the processing of additional documents, such as changing the layout or occupation of the property

Please email additional.licensing@peterborough.gov.uk to notify us about any of the above changes.

Civil penalties

It is an offence for a landlord to rent an HMO without the required licence. Landlords with unlicensed properties can face a financial penalty notice of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from the court. Landlords could also be ordered to repay up to 12 months' rent.

View our Civil Penalties Policy page.

Report an unlicensed property

If you are aware of a property that requires an Additional Licence but doesn't have one, please report to us via the online form below. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

Exemptions

Exemptions to the Additional Licensing Scheme include:

  • Properties licensable as an HMO under mandatory licensing
  • Properties let by a local authority or a Registered Provider (RP), traditionally known as a not-for-profit Housing Association
  • Properties already subject to a management order or empty dwelling management order
  • Properties subject to a temporary exemption notice
  • Owners who reside in property they own as their main residence (owner-occupiers) where they have less than three lodgers
  • Holiday lets; and tenancies under a long lease (over 21 years) and business tenancies
  • HMO which is managed by a charity registered under the Charities Act 2011 and which:
    • is a night shelter, or
    • consists of temporary accommodation for persons suffering or recovering from drug or alcohol abuse or a mental disorder.
  • Any building which is occupied principally for the purposes of a religious community whose principal occupation is prayer, contemplation, education or the relief of suffering
  • Student accommodation directly managed by educational institutions, e.g. halls of residence
  • Homes let to up to two single people who are unrelated
  • Single family dwellings where a dwelling is occupied by one household
  • Homes with up to two lodgers
  • HMOs under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004, where:
    • the building or part of a building is less than three storeys that have been converted into two self-contained flats or,
    • where both the building and self-contained flats it contains are under different ownership or considered by the council to be effectively under the control of different landlords or agents.

Please see our 'further information' section lower down this page where we have a drop-down box with more details on exemptions.

Information for overseas landlords

Yes, if your property requires a licence, you must make sure it is licensed. You must appoint a person or company in the UK who can hold the licence for you.

Yes, it is a small risk because you will take on legal liability for complying with the licence conditions or receiving statutory notices from the council. You can minimise that risk by making sure there will be robust management arrangements in place before you sign your contract with the property owner. We advise that you scrutinise the licence conditions in advance and determine exactly what is needed for you to comply in full over the term of the licence. For example, among other things there need to be arrangements for:

  • Dealing with emergencies inside and outside office hours.
  • Efficiently carrying out repairs and improvements to the property if a defect occurs or if the council identify hazards (including arrangements for funding such works)
  • For addressing complaints of nuisance to other properties or of anti-social behaviour by the tenants

The law forbids the transfer of the licence from one person to another, so you will have to apply for a new licence. For this reason, you will want to discuss the proposed management arrangements fees etc with the agent before signing the contract to make sure that you are completely happy with them.

Contact

For enquiries on how to apply, please email info@home-safe.org.uk.

For enquiries to the council, please email additional.licensing@peterborough.gov.uk.

Further information

No, Additional Licences cannot be transferred to the Mandatory HMO licensing scheme. You must apply for a Mandatory Licence, which will run for five years from the date of application.

 No, only one licence is required. 

No. The type of licence you need is dictated by the maximum occupancy. If you have a property which is suitable for five or more persons, it can be occupied by less than that total number. 

Additional Licensing is a citywide scheme. This means that all three or four person HMOs operating in the city of Peterborough

No, you are only required to hold one type of licence which must be the appropriate licence for your property type. All owners of HMO properties in the selective licensing designation will be contacted to passport the current licence into an additional licence.

Yes, a consultation ran between 19 May and 31 July 2025.

You will only be entitled to a refund if:

  • Your property doesn't need a licence at the time of application (for example, it falls under one of the exemptions)
  • You make a duplicate application

You will not be entitled to a refund if:

  • You subsequently sell the property after the licence has been issued
  • The council revokes your licence
  • The council varies your licence and reduces the amount of time it remains operationally valid
  • You are refused planning permission
  • Our fees are not connected to the length of a licence. If you cancel your licence before it expires, we cannot give you a refund for any unused time.

Prohibition of occupation by law - A tenancy or licence of a house or a dwelling within a house where the house or the dwelling is subject to a prohibition order made under section 20 of the Act the operation of which has not been suspended under section 23.

Certain tenancies which cannot be assured tenancies - A tenancy which cannot be an assured tenancy by virtue of section 1 (2) of the Housing Act 1988 comprised in Part of Schedule 1 of the Act and which is:

  1. a business tenancy under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
  2. a tenancy under which the dwelling-house consists of or comprises premises, which, by virtue of a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003, may be used for the supply of alcohol (within the meaning of Section 14 of that Act) for consumption on the premises
  3. a tenancy under which agricultural land, exceeding two acres, is let together with the house
  4. a tenancy under which the house is comprised in an agricultural holding or the holding is comprised under a farm business tenancy if it is occupied (whether as tenant or as a servant or agent of the tenant), in the case of an agricultural holding, by the person responsible for the control of the farming of the holding, and in the case of a farm business tenancy, by the person responsible for the control of the management of the holding.

Tenancies and licences granted etc by public bodies - A tenancy or licence of a house or dwelling within a house that is managed or controlled by:

  1. a local housing authority
  2. a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996 or the Metropolitan Police Authority established under section 5B of that Act
  3. a fire and rescue authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004; (d)
  4. a health service body within the meaning of section 4 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

Tenancies, licences etc regulated by other enactments - A tenancy, licence or occupation of a house which is regulated under the following enactments:

  1. sections 87 to 87D of the Children Act 1989
  2. section 43 (4) of the Prison Act 1952
  3. section 34 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002
  4. The Secure Training Centre Rules 1998
  5. The Prison Rules 1999
  6. The Young Offender Institute Rules 2000
  7. The Detention Centre Rules 2001
  8. The Criminal Justice and Court Service Act 2000 (Approved Premises) Regulations 2001
  9. The Care Homes Regulations 2001
  10. The Children’s Homes Regulations 2001
  11. The Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002

Certain student lettings etc - A tenancy or licence of a house or a dwelling within a house which is:

  1. managed or controlled by a specified educational establishment or is of a specified description of such establishments and
  2. the occupiers of the house or dwelling are undertaking a full time course of further or higher education at the specified establishment 16 and
  3. the house or dwelling is being managed in conformity with an Approved Code of Practice for the management of excepted accommodation under section 233 of the Act

Long leaseholders - A tenancy of a house or a dwelling within a house provided that:

  1. the full term of the tenancy is for more than 21 years and
  2. the tenancy does not contain a provision enabling the landlord (or his successor his in title) to determine it other than by forfeiture, earlier than at the end of the term and
  3. the house or dwelling is occupied by a person to whom the tenancy was granted or his successor in title or by any members of either of those person’s family.

Certain family arrangements - A tenancy or licence of a house or a dwelling within a house where:

  1. the person who has granted the tenancy or licence to occupy is a member of the family of the person who has been granted the tenancy or licence and
  2. the person who has granted the tenancy or licence to occupy is the freeholder or long leaseholder of the house or dwelling and
  3. the person occupies the house or dwelling as his only or main residence (and if there are two or more persons at least one of them so occupies).

Holiday lets - A tenancy or licence of a house or a dwelling within a house that has been granted to the person for the purpose of a holiday.

In some circumstances, a Temporary Exemption Notice may be issued where a property needs a licence, but will not soon, for example if a property is about to be sold. A temporary exemption notice lasts for three months. You can renew for an extra three months in special circumstances. If the property still needs a licence after this period, you must apply for a property licence straightaway.

Once the application process opens, expected in December 2025, you can apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice on the application portal on the Home Safe website. Please note a temporary exemption application carries a fee of £150 per property and if granted will last for three months.

Yes, all landlords applying for a licence will have to have a ‘fit and proper’ person check. This will include things like:

  • Any unspent housing convictions, offences involving fraud, violence, or drugs
  • Any offence listed in the Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003
  • Any unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sex, colour, race, ethnic or disability in connection with the carrying out of any business

Some licence conditions can alter from property to property. You can find a copy of the terms and conditions on this page.

In most circumstances, the property owners will be required to hold the licence, not managing agents. Only where there is a deliberate attempt to evade licensing, or a property has significant hazards will we instigate formal action.

Yes, there is an appeal process to follow which would be notified to landlords as part of their decision letter.

A property licence may not be transferred to another person. If the licence holder dies while the licence is in force, the licence is terminated. The personal representatives of the licence holder should contact us as soon as is possible. During the initial period of three months beginning with the date of the licence holder’s death, a temporary exemption notice is automatically applied to the house. If notification is received from the personal representatives within six months of the death of a licence holder, then the licence can be applied for by the next of kin or person in control of the inherited property and the licence will be valid for the remainder of the original licence term.

Should the licence holder pass away, the managing agent or other interested party should contact additional.licensing@peterborough.gov.uk.

If the property is unsuitable for the number of tenants currently accommodated, landlords will be issued a licence stating the number for which it is suitable. If this is more than currently accommodated, then landlords may keep their existing tenants until the expiry of the current tenancy and then not re-let the undersized room or rooms. No new occupiers should be admitted until occupiers match the number permitted on the licence.

A resident landlord (owner) and family may share a house with one or two unrelated lodgers without the need for a licence. A third lodger means the house is an HMO and it must be licensed.

If the applicant is found not fit and proper, a licence cannot be granted. The landlord would need to:

  • Hand over all aspects of the property management to a non-related agent or
  • Remove it from the rental market

If the property is occupied, we can make a Management Order to take over the running of the tenancy.

No, we are not permitted to receive financial gain from the licence fees obtained. Any licence fee charged would only cover costs associated with administering and enforcing the scheme over the designated period.

You could get a criminal conviction upon prosecution and a possible unlimited fine per condition breached or a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence. Multiple civil penalties could lead to you being placed on the Peterborough or National Rogue landlord database.

When the council officer or officer acting on behalf of the council inspects the premises, you will be advised what work is necessary to comply with the standards. We can set conditions with the licence to incorporate any areas where the property fails to meet the standards. Any conditions of the licence would need to be complied with in a reasonable time frame.

Yes. Please see the section of this page called 'licensing fees'.

If we are unable to grant a licence, we can apply to issue an Interim Management Order (IMO), which if granted, allows us to step in and manage the property. The owner keeps their rights as an owner. This order can last up to a year until suitable permanent management arrangements can be made. If the IMO expires and there has been no improvement, we can apply for a Final Management Order. If granted, this can last up to five years and can be renewed.

Yes, each individual property within the designated area requires a licence.

If you sold a property during an Additional Licensing scheme, you must contact us so that the existing licence can be revoked. The purchaser would need to apply for a new licence if they still want to rent out the property as additional licences cannot be transferred from one person to another. You would not be entitled to a refund if you sell the property.

Please email additional.licensing@peterborough.gov.uk.

Property inspections will take place over the course of the five-year period. This can either happen before or after the licence is granted. During the five-year period of any scheme, we will also respond to any complaints about the property and use its existing enforcement powers to deal with any issues that are not covered under the additional licensing conditions.

Complaints should be made to housing.standards@peterborough.gov.uk.

The licence can only be issued to one named person. Joint owners would have to nominate one owner to be the licence holder.

Last updated: 22 October 2025