Additional HMO licensing · City-wide additional HMO licensing
In force | Area covered | Whole council area |
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| Runs | 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2029 |
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| Fee | £849 3-4 unrelated occupants, single tenancy; 3-4 tenancies £1,083 (single discount £1,006 / double £929 / late £1,147) |
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| Discounts | single discount £772, double discount £695 |
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| Late / penalty fee | late fee £956 |
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Council licensing page Public register
Details read from the council website via a summary tool because the page blocks automated reading. Please confirm on the council page.
Note from our check: applies to HMOs of 2 or more storeys with 3 or 4 unrelated occupiers; council site 403 to scripts, read via web summary
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Selective licensing · Selective licensing (Kemptown, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queens Park, Whitehawk & Marina)
In force | Area covered | Listed wards only (4 wards) |
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| Runs | 2 Sept 2024 to 1 Sept 2029 |
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| Fee | £711 per property; Part A at application, Part B within 10 working days of approval |
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| Discounts | £75 each for accredited landlord/Propertymark agent, EPC C+, registered charity (max £150); £50/£75 per additional flat in same block |
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| Late / penalty fee | late fee £807 |
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Wards in the scheme (4)
Kemptown · Moulsecoomb & Bevendean · Queen's Park · Whitehawk & Marina
Ward or street lists can split a road. Use the council's own address checker or designation map before relying on this list.
Council licensing page Designation notice Public register
Details read from the council website via a summary tool because the page blocks automated reading. Please confirm on the council page.
Note from our check: also covers single-storey flats/bungalows with 3-4 unrelated occupiers; council site 403 to scripts
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Selective licensing · Selective licensing 2026 (Central Hove & Regency)
Approved – not started yet | Area covered | Listed wards only (2 wards) |
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| Designation made | 6 Jul 2026 |
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| Runs | 20 Oct 2026 to 19 Oct 2031 |
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| Fee | £711 council fee page (same page as 2024 scheme); NRLA/LandlordZone report £740 for new scheme - check |
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| Discounts | £75 accredited / EPC C+ / charity (max £150) |
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| Late / penalty fee | £807 |
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Wards in the scheme (2)
Central Hove · Regency
Ward or street lists can split a road. Use the council's own address checker or designation map before relying on this list.
Council licensing page Designation notice Public register
Details read from the council website via a summary tool because the page blocks automated reading. Please confirm on the council page.
Note from our check: exact start 20 Oct 2026 and end 19 Oct 2031 from NRLA Sep-2026 bulletin (council page says October 2026); designation notice page 403
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Mandatory HMO licensing in Brighton and Hove
Whatever the local schemes, a licence is required for any house in multiple occupation let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This rule is national and has applied since 1 October 2018. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence under section 72 of the Housing Act 2004. Read do I need an HMO licence? and how to apply.
Brighton and Hove HMO licence register
The council's public register of licensed properties: Brighton and Hove City Council public register. Use it to check whether a property already holds a licence, for example before you buy. Licences do not transfer to a new owner.
Brighton and Hove Article 4 and HMO planning rules
Brighton and Hove does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.
Licensing and planning are separate. A licence does not give planning permission, and planning permission does not replace a licence. See Article 4 and HMOs.
Tribunal record: rent repayment orders and civil penalties in Brighton and Hove
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Brighton and Hove. They show how tenants and the council use enforcement here. Most civil penalties are paid without appeal, so they never reach the tribunal.
| Rent repayment order decisions | 12 (3 in the last 3 years) |
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| Orders made | 4 (57.1% of decisions with a known outcome) |
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| Median award | £8,802 |
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| Total awarded | £35,371 |
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| Civil penalty appeals | 0 |
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Amounts and outcomes are extracted automatically from the decision text and can be wrong; open the decision on GOV.UK for the full reasons. Party names are not shown. Information, not legal advice.
If you have let without a licence you needed, read unlicensed property: what to do, rent repayment orders and civil penalties.
Landlord database deadline for Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove is in the South East region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 Mar 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Jun 2027. The published fee is £65 per property per year. Database registration is separate from council licensing: you may need both. See register your rental property.
Get help with a Brighton and Hove licence application
We can prepare a licence application for you for a fixed fee; the council's own fee is separate. See pricing for what is included and how we make money. You can also run a full address check on the postcode checker.
Brighton and Hove licensing: common questions
Is there selective licensing in Brighton and Hove?
Yes. Selective licensing (Kemptown, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queens Park, Whitehawk & Marina): in force until 1 Sept 2029 (part of the area); Selective licensing 2026 (Central Hove & Regency): approved, starting 20 Oct 2026 until 19 Oct 2031 (part of the area). Check the council's map or address checker to confirm your street.
How much is an HMO licence in Brighton and Hove?
Additional HMO licensing: £849 (3-4 unrelated occupants, single tenancy; 3-4 tenancies £1,083 (single discount £1,006 / double £929 / late £1,147)); Selective licensing: £711 (per property; Part A at application, Part B within 10 working days of approval); Selective licensing: £711 (council fee page (same page as 2024 scheme); NRLA/LandlordZone report £740 for new scheme - check). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Does Brighton and Hove have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?
Brighton and Hove does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.
Where is the Brighton and Hove HMO licence register?
The council publishes its public register of licences here: Brighton and Hove City Council register. Councils must keep a register of licences under section 232 of the Housing Act 2004.
How often do landlords in Brighton and Hove face rent repayment orders or fines?
The First-tier Tribunal has published 12 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Brighton and Hove (4 with an order made), median award £8,802, and 0 civil penalty appeals. Most penalties are never appealed, so the true number of fines is higher.
Related: selective licensing in England · additional HMO licensing · HMO licence cost · HMO rules · HMO hub
Sources
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.