Chichester: mandatory HMO licensing with no local scheme stated
Chichester's current HMO guidance requires a mandatory licence for five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities. The council states that it operates no additional HMO or selective licensing scheme. Its 2026-27 fee document was available, but the applicable amount could not be reliably extracted, so the fee and several enforcement details remain unverified.
The mandatory threshold
Chichester requires a mandatory HMO licence where five or more people form two or more households and share facilities. The council's application guidance asks for plans and property-safety and management information. Keep the intended occupancy aligned with the application and final licence.
No local additional or selective scheme stated
Chichester states that it does not operate an additional HMO licensing scheme or a selective licensing scheme. That is the council's published position, but check the current page before relying on it because schemes can be introduced or changed by designation.
The 2026-27 fee needs direct confirmation
The council has published an HMO Licensing Fees 2026-2027 document, but the applicable fee and licence term were UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. Do not publish a guessed amount; confirm the current fee in the live application route before paying.
Application and register details
The council requires an HMO application with supporting plans and safety and management documentation. A current public register arrangement, exact document checklist, discounts and transfer rules were UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. Ask the licensing team to confirm the property record when purchasing or changing manager.
Enforcement and planning remain separate checks
Current civil penalties, prosecution policy, rent repayment orders and Temporary Exemption Notice procedure were UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. A current HMO-specific Article 4 direction was also UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. Planning permission and licensing are separate requirements.
Keep the universal tenancy file complete
Every Chichester tenancy still needs annual gas safety, a five-yearly EICR, a valid EPC, deposit protection within 30 days, Right to Rent checks, working smoke and CO alarms and the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet.
Verify current Chichester HMO thresholds, fees, applications, registers, enforcement and planning controls via the council's official pages. Illustrative guide - fees and policies change; general information, not legal advice.
Renewal tracked from expiry, reminders from 60 days out, proof of service to tenants logged. Knows the 2-month early-renewal rule that keeps your date fixed.
Five years goes quicker than you think. Kept remembers so you don't have to - including the 28-day duty to give tenants a copy.
Expiry tracked from the certificate details you confirm - band E is the current minimum for most domestic private lets unless exempt, and proposed changes are flagged only when they become law.
30-day protection window tracked from the day the money lands - not the tenancy date - with prescribed information logged.
Check dates and follow-up dates for time-limited permissions, stored against each tenant.
Smoke alarms every storey, CO alarms where required, checked and dated at the start of every tenancy.
A one-off duty for tenancies that existed on 1 May 2026. Who was served, when, and how - the £7,000 question, answered with a dated record.
Preparation and export support for the future official registration process - clearly marked as planned.
Selective licensing: No current scheme stated. See the local picture above - every other duty applies exactly as it does nationwide.
Add a postcode and Kept resolves the council, location and local context automatically.
Planned preparation and export support for the government's regional PRS Database rollout.