Additional HMO licensing · Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Designation for an Area for Additional Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (No.1) 2023 (heading: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Designation of an Area for Additional Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation 2023; council page name: Additional HMO Licensing Scheme)
- Status
- In force
- Runs
- 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028
- Designated
- 20 October 2022
- Fee
- £1,493 for a licence covering up to five units: £1,004 when you apply and £489 once the licence is approved. Bigger HMOs pay £72 for each extra room. Accredited landlords get £200 off, and anyone applying for more than three HMOs with the same landlord and managing agent gets £30 off each. Licences last up to five years.
- Applies to
- HMOs anywhere in Kensington and Chelsea that don't need a mandatory licence: usually homes let to three or more people from two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. That includes a flat shared by five or more people in a purpose-built block of three or more flats. Converted blocks of flats (section 257 HMOs) aren't covered. Exempt: buildings the law says aren't HMOs, and HMOs under a management order or with a temporary exemption.
Our records last verified 18 October 2026 · council designation page · licence conditions
Area covered
The scheme covers the whole of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Every privately rented property in the borough that meets the scheme’s criteria needs a licence, wherever it is.
What this means for landlords
Additional HMO licensing extends licensing to shared homes below the national 5-person mandatory threshold. If your property in this area houses unrelated sharers, check the scheme’s occupancy criteria. Running a licensable HMO without a licence carries the same penalties as any licensing offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent.
Is your property inside the scheme area?
This checker reflects HouseFile’s records of council licensing designations, not the councils’ live registers. Our records indicate the position at the verification date shown on each result. Schemes are designated, renewed and revoked throughout the year, and postcode-level lookups are approximate near scheme boundaries. Always confirm with the council before letting or buying a property, using the source link on each card. This is general information, not legal advice.
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