HMO Licence in Canterbury: Fee, Who Needs One and How to Apply
A new mandatory HMO licence in Canterbury costs £1,499 for 5 years — £300 a year, renewal £1,499, on the council’s own fee page read 5 September 2026.
The fee, from Canterbury’s own page
| New application | £1,499 |
| Renewal | £1,499 |
| Fee structure | per-room |
| Licence length | 5 years |
| Cost per year of licence | £300 |
| Against the 34 councils with a verified fee | 14 of 34 (1 = dearest); median £1,364 |
'Licence fees HMO licence fees. Type of HMO | Fee. Up to five people living there £1,498.97. Each additional person £86.64.' 'A licence is valid for five years.'
Per-person fee above the base 5-person tier; same figure assumed for new and renewal since page doesn't distinguish (not explicitly confirmed for renewal, treated as best available).
Canterbury’s new-licence fee sits above the median of the 34 councils whose fee we could read from their own pages (£1,364). The cheapest verified is Islington at £288 and the dearest Lambeth at £2,530; fee structures differ — some charge per room or in occupancy bands, so a large HMO can cost far more than the headline figure above.
Who needs a licence in Canterbury
The national rule is the same everywhere in England and Wales — gov.uk: “You must have a licence if you’re renting out a large HMO in England or Wales. Your property is defined as a large HMO if all of the following apply: it is rented to 5 or more people who form more than 1 household; some or all tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities; at least 1 tenant pays rent (or their employer pays it for them).” … “A licence is valid for a maximum of 5 years. You must renew your licence before it runs out. You need a separate licence for each HMO you run.” Whether a smaller shared house needs a licence depends on whether the council runs an additional or selective scheme:
Additional licensing (smaller HMOs): not confirmed either way on the pages we read — check the council’s licensing pages before letting to fewer than five.
Selective licensing (all private lets in an area): not confirmed either way on the pages we read — check the council’s licensing pages before letting to fewer than five.
Letting a licensable HMO without a licence is an offence; the penalties, rent repayment orders and the fee’s tax treatment are on the HMO licence in England guide.
The Canterbury numbers around an HMO
- How many HMOs: the council estimated 3,890 HMOs in Canterbury, of which 1,110 were mandatory-licensable and 719 licences had been issued (LAHS 2024-25, MHCLG) — every council’s figures.
- Rents: the average 4+-bedroom rent in Canterbury is £1,904 a month (ONS, July 2026) against £1,281 across all sizes — rents, prices and yield in Canterbury.
- EPC: 41% of EPCs lodged here in the last year were below band C, the level a rented home needs by 1 October 2030 (EPC ratings in Canterbury).
- Council tax: Band D is £2,419 for 2026/27; in an HMO let room by room the landlord is usually the liable person (council tax in Canterbury).
How to apply
Applications go to the council, not to a national body. Have the floor plans, gas and electrical certificates, fire-safety details and the manager’s details ready; most councils take a non-refundable first payment on submission and the balance on grant (the quote above shows where Canterbury splits its fee, if it does).
Apply or check on Canterbury’s site
All councils compared · Student HMOs and Ground 4A · Renters’ Rights Act rules
Asked about HMO licences in Canterbury
£1,499 for a new application and £1,499 to renew, according to the council's own fee page read 5 September 2026.
5 years, so the fee works out at £300 a year.
Mandatory licensing starts at five people from two or more households; whether a smaller HMO needs a licence depends on an additional scheme we could not confirm — check with the council.
On the council's own site: https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/housing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmo/apply-hmo-licence
Sources
Read 5 September 2026 on the council’s own site. National rule: House in multiple occupation licence (GOV.UK). Fees change at each council’s budget; the council page is authoritative on the day you apply.