Charnwood: additional and selective licensing in Loughborough

Additional licensing catches smaller HMOs

Charnwood's additional designation runs from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028 unless revoked or extended. It covers HMOs occupied by three or four unrelated people and specified section 257 HMOs wholly occupied by tenants. Check the current designation and the property arrangement before relying on the smaller-HMO threshold.

Selective licensing is road-specific

The selective designation covers specified roads and areas in the historic Loughborough Hastings and Lemyngton wards, from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028. HMO-licensed properties are excluded. Use Charnwood's current street and area information rather than treating either whole ward as automatically covered.

Two-stage fees and accreditation

The standard application is £395 followed by a £305 second payment, a displayed total of £700. DASH-accredited applicants and qualifying timely renewals may pay £220 for the second payment, bringing the displayed total to £615. Mandatory HMO applications add £10 for each bedroom above six. Confirm eligibility and the live fee schedule before paying.

Planning controls are separate

In the Loughborough Article 4 area, permitted development from C3 to C4 was removed for changes after 12 February 2012. Three- to six-person HMOs in the affected area generally need planning permission, while HMOs with more than six people require permission including outside Loughborough. An HMO licence does not provide planning consent.

Enforcement can affect possession

Charnwood describes an unlimited fine on conviction, a civil penalty of up to £30,000, rent repayment orders for up to twelve months' rent or benefits and section 21 restrictions for relevant unlicensed properties. Keep proof of the application, fee stages and licence conditions with the property record.

Check for replacement designations

The official material reviewed did not confirm whether replacement schemes have been proposed for the period after 31 March 2028. Do not assume an expiry means the next designation will be identical or that a new application is unnecessary; check the council's latest boundary and register information.

Verify current Charnwood designations, street boundaries, fees, applications, penalties and HMO planning controls via the council's official pages. Illustrative guide - designations and fees change; general information, not legal advice.