Additional HMO licensing
In force| Area covered | Whole council area |
|---|---|
| Consultation | 27 Jun 2025 to 31 Aug 2025 |
| Runs | 5 Jan 2026 to 4 Jan 2031 |
| Fee | £830 £830 + £10 per bedroom let |
Note from our check: fee/end per NRLA
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Upcoming: consultations and key dates in Woking
| Date | What | Scheme | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jan 2031 in 1559 days | scheme end | Additional HMO licensing | council |
Want a reminder before a deadline? Use the form at the bottom of this page and pick "Email me before my deadlines".
Mandatory HMO licensing in Woking
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.
Woking HMO licence register
We did not find an online public register for Woking. Every council must keep one (Housing Act 2004, s.232) and make it available for inspection; ask the council's private sector housing team.
Woking Article 4 and HMO planning rules
Woking 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 Woking
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Woking. 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 (1 in the last 3 years) |
|---|---|
| Orders made | 9 (90% of decisions with a known outcome) |
| Median award | £2,142 (last 3 years: £392) |
| Total awarded | £35,913 |
| Civil penalty appeals | 1 |
| Penalty upheld (in full or reduced) | 100% · confirmed in full 100% |
| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 2 |
Recent rent repayment order decisions in Woking
| Decided | Area | Property | Offence alleged | Outcome | Amount | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2024 | GU21 | Flat | unlicensed HMO; unlicensed (selective licensing); unlawful eviction / harassment; failure to comply with improvement notice; breach of banning order; violence for securing entry | Order made | £392 | GOV.UK |
| 8 Dec 2021 | GU21 | Flat | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Order made | £9,000 | GOV.UK |
| 10 Dec 2020 | GU21 | Flat | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Order made | £12,956 | GOV.UK |
| 15 May 2020 | GU21 | HMO | unlicensed (selective licensing) | See decision | — | GOV.UK |
| 27 Apr 2020 | GU21 | HMO | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Order made | £5,089 | GOV.UK |
Recent civil penalty appeals in Woking
| Decided | Area | Offence | Outcome | Council's penalty | After tribunal | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2025 | GU22 | not extracted | Penalty confirmed | — | — | GOV.UK |
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 Woking
Woking 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 Woking 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.
Woking licensing: common questions
Is there selective licensing in Woking?
We found no selective licensing scheme on Woking Borough 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 Woking?
Additional HMO licensing: £830 (£830 + £10 per bedroom let). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Does Woking have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?
Woking 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 Woking face rent repayment orders or fines?
The First-tier Tribunal has published 11 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Woking (9 with an order made), median award £2,142, and 1 civil penalty appeal. 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
- Woking Borough Council: licensing page
- GOV.UK: House in multiple occupation licence
- Housing Act 2004, Part 2 (HMO licensing)
- Housing Act 2004, Part 3 (selective licensing)
- planning.data.gov.uk: Article 4 direction areas (MHCLG)
- GOV.UK: Residential property tribunal decisions
- GOV.UK: Civil penalties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation
- GOV.UK Housing Hub: Get ready to register
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.