Landlord licensing and compliance in Gravesham
Gravesham confirms mandatory HMO licensing for qualifying homes with five or more occupants and says it does not currently operate additional or selective licensing. The council offers a free public-register search. Its new and renewal fees are split into Part A and Part B, but the published page does not state the fee year, and the council's proposed HMO Article 4 work is not an adopted direction.
Mandatory licensing and register
Gravesham's HMO policy says mandatory licensing applies to qualifying HMOs occupied by five or more people from more than one household. The council says it does not currently operate additional or selective licensing. Use its HMO checker and free online public-register search for property information; a redacted full-register copy costs £45.20, and an unredacted copy may be viewed by appointment.
Check the fee year and payment stages
The application page lists new fees of £541.81 Part A and £463.81 Part B, and renewal fees of £464.98 Part A and £444.93 Part B. Part A is payable with the application and Part B after verification. The page gives no fee year, so confirm the current charges with the council before paying. Licence duration was UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website.
An Article 4 direction is not yet confirmed
In May 2026 Gravesham said Cabinet had agreed to continue work on an HMO Article 4 Direction and build an evidence base. That is not an adopted direction; the same council update says small HMO conversions can currently take place without planning permission. Check for a later designation before relying on that position. The council news item also states a £17,000 minimum-fine figure in the Renters' Rights Act context; treat that as the council's statement, not a confirmed case outcome.
Sources: Gravesham Borough Council HMO guidance, application and fee page, HMO policy, May 2026 council update and Article 4 information. Verify current fees, licence duration and any later planning designation with the council. Illustrative guide - scheme boundaries and dates 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 (ordinary lets): NO - council policy says none currently. 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.