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Bristol City Council

Landlord licensing in Bristol

In Bristol, our records show selective licensing in parts of the city (two schemes) and additional HMO licensing across the whole city.

Check an address in Bristol

A postcode check is approximate near a scheme's edge.

In force four schemes

Shared houses: the national rule

Mandatory HMO licensing applies across England whatever schemes a council runs: a licence is needed where five or more people from two or more households live in the property and share facilities. Whether it applies depends on who lives there, which an address lookup cannot know.

Official guidance on HMO licensing

Letting without a licence

Where a property needs a licence and doesn't have one, the council can issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecute, and the tenant can apply for a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent.

Check with the council

The council has the final word on whether an address is covered, and on what a licence costs.

These pages reflect HouseFile’s records of council licensing designations, not the councils’ live registers. Our records indicate the position at the verification date shown on each scheme. Schemes are designated, renewed and revoked throughout the year. Always confirm with the council before letting or buying a property, using the source link on each scheme. This is general information, not legal advice.

HouseFile tracks your licence alongside your certificates

Every property gets its own file, with the licence expiry date next to your certificates and a reminder before any certificate expires. When you share documents with your tenant, you'll see when they open each one.
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