Additional HMO licensing · Additional HMO licensing (city-wide, incl. s257)
In force | Area covered | Whole council area |
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| Designation made | 22 Nov 2022 |
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| Runs | 1 Sept 2023 to 31 Aug 2028 |
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| Fee | £886 (Part A £222 + Part B £664) new application, 5-year licence (updated 1 Apr 2026); 2.5-yr £917 (222+695); 1-yr £1,229 (222+1,007) |
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| Discounts | 5-year term requires accreditation etc.; licence period criteria |
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| Renewal | 5-yr £845 (145+700); 2.5-yr £740; 1-yr £709 |
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Council licensing page Designation notice
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: 3-4 person HMOs, s257 (mainly tenanted) and 3+ person HMO flats in blocks of 3+ flats
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Mandatory HMO licensing in Portsmouth
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.
Portsmouth HMO licence register
We did not find an online public register for Portsmouth. Every council must keep one (Housing Act 2004, s.232) and make it available for inspection; ask the council's private sector housing team.
Portsmouth Article 4 and HMO planning rules
Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Portsmouth. 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 | 11 (9 in the last 3 years) |
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| Orders made | 4 (50% of decisions with a known outcome) |
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| Median award | £5,676 (last 3 years: £5,593) |
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| Total awarded | £43,765 |
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| Civil penalty appeals | 5 |
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| Penalty upheld (in full or reduced) | 80% · confirmed in full 40% |
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| Median penalty: council's notice / after tribunal | £12,500 / £12,000 |
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| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 22 |
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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 Portsmouth
Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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.
Portsmouth licensing: common questions
Is there selective licensing in Portsmouth?
We found no selective licensing scheme on Portsmouth City Council's website as of 28 Sep 2026. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to 5+ people in 2+ households. Confirm with the council.
How much is an HMO licence in Portsmouth?
Additional HMO licensing: £886 (new application, 5-year licence (updated 1 Apr 2026); 2.5-yr £917 (222+695); 1-yr £1,229 (222+1,007)). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Does Portsmouth have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?
Portsmouth 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.
How often do landlords in Portsmouth face rent repayment orders or fines?
The First-tier Tribunal has published 11 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Portsmouth (4 with an order made), median award £5,676, and 5 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.