Renewal of existing licence

Mandatory House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence renewal policy (Part 2, Housing Act 2004) effective 1 July 2023

Material changes

You will only be able to use the renewal form if no material changes have occurred to the property. Please read the list of what we consider to be material changes.

If any other changes have occurred to the property, you will need to state these in the text box at the end of the form.

Completing the application

To complete the licence renewal application form, you will need your licence and renewal reference numbers. Examples of these are:

  • Licence reference number: 16/000/HMO
  • Renewal Reference: O6P4TPWL0CE00

These will be displayed in your licence renewal reminder which will be emailed to you two months before your licence expiry date.

Please ensure you have the following supporting documentation ready in electronic format to upload in the form as part of your application:

  • Signed “Fit and Proper Persons” declarations for all relevant people. We have additional Fit and Proper Persons declaration form for you to use
  • Floor plan showing the use of each room - such as bedroom, kitchen, bathroom - and locations of smoke and heat detectors and fire door
  • Gas installation - An original certificate showing that the gas installation and appliances have been inspected by a Gas Safe registered inspector in the 12 months prior to this application
  • Electrical Installation Condition Report - An original certificate showing that a competent person has inspected the electrical installation in the 5 years prior to this application
  • Electrical appliances - An original certificate showing that the electrical appliances have been inspected by a competent person in the 12 months prior to this application (PAT certificate)
  • Fire detection - An original certificate showing that the fire detection and warning system has been inspected, tested and serviced by a competent person in the 12 months prior to this application. This needs to comply to British Standard BS 5839 Part 1 and/or Part 6
  • Emergency lighting - An original certificate showing that the emergency lighting system (where installed) has been inspected, tested and serviced by a competent person in the 12 months prior to this application
  • Tenancy agreement - A sample copy of the written terms for tenants

Submitting all of the above documentation will ensure your application is processed and validated as quickly as possible. 

Important notes to renewal applications

  1. The discount will only be granted on the Standard part 2 fee for a fully complete HMO licence application submitted. This means we have not had to follow up or chase any documents in relation to the HMO application, whether missing, incomplete or part complete
  2. Where a valid fully complete renewal application is received after the expiry date of the existing licence, the discount will not be applied as this is a late application
  3. Where a renewal application is received after the expiry date, we will need a valid fully complete new application to be submitted. In this case, the additional fees for a new application will be applied to the Part 2 fees (£154.14 additional fee for all new applications)

Cost

The HMO licence fee in Cheltenham has changed. The fee is now split into two payments.

  • Payment one is paid when an HMO licence application is submitted
  • Payment two is due after the inspection

Download the licence fees list.

A licence lasts for three years.

Renew online

Please read this important information about applying online before completing the application.

Apply to renew online

Fines and penalties

It is an offence:

  • to not have a licence for a property that requires one
  • to allow occupation of an HMO over the number of people permitted
  • to fail to comply with any condition of the licence

You could get an unlimited fine for renting out an unlicensed HMO, or a fine of up to £5,000 for breaching a condition of the licence upon conviction (as at October 2018). Local authorities are also able to issue landlords with civil penalty notices of up to £30,000 per offence as an alternative to prosecution.

It is your responsibility to comply with the law.