South East
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Dartford, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Dartford.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Dartford introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
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This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Mandatory licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the entire Dartford borough. Applies to properties occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more separate households who share basic amenities. The 3-storey height requirement was removed from 1 October 2018, bringing single and two-storey qualifying HMOs into scope. Approximately 75 licensed HMOs were active in the borough as of mid-2025.
Mandatory licensing commenced April 2006 under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004. The 3-storey height requirement was removed from 1 October 2018 by the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018. Minimum bedroom sizes apply: single person aged 10+ must be at least 6.51 sqm; two persons aged 10+ at least 10.22 sqm; child under 10 at least 4.64 sqm. All HMOs (whether licensable or not) must meet amenity standards, have fire detection/prevention measures, and be free from Category One hazards. Applications processed within 12 weeks of valid documentation receipt; tacit authorisation applies if no council contact within agreed timeframe. New planning permission requirements: from 9 December 2025 all new HMOs north of the A2 require planning permission; from 10 December 2026 all new HMOs south of the A2 require planning permission (exceptions apply for C3-use properties with 6 or fewer occupants south of the A2 prior to December 2026).
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Dartford Borough Council has not created any selective licensing areas. Selective licensing would apply to all privately rented residential properties (not exclusively HMOs) within a designated area experiencing problems such as low housing demand, anti-social behaviour, or socio-economic deprivation.
Confirmed by landlordlaw.co.uk (October 2024) and legislate.tech that no selective licensing areas have been created in Dartford Borough. The council's current policy will be reviewed once the Renters' Rights Bill becomes an Act and the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 is implemented. No proposed selective licensing scheme was identified as of extraction date.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
28 March 2026
Research confidence
High (77/100)
Sources checked
3
Key data points (fees, contact details, application portal URLs, licensing criteria, public register URL, absence of selective and additional licensing) were confirmed directly from official Dartford Borough Council web pages. The absence of selective and additional licensing was corroborated by multiple independent third-party sources. Fee amounts of £905 (new) and £695 (renewal) were extracted directly from the official HMO licensing page. The 75 licensed HMOs figure and 29% growth statistic are from a July 2025 Overview and Scrutiny Committee report. Main uncertainty is around specific exemption categories and whether any formal accreditation discount scheme exists.
The council maintains a legally required public register of all licensed HMOs. The register is published as a static HTML table on the council website under 'Licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation'. The version available at extraction was described as the 'May 2025 edited version'. The register contains: licence reference numbers, names of licence holders, property addresses (across Dartford, Bexley, Swanscombe, Greenhithe, Bean, Wilmington, and Sutton-at-Hone areas), licence start dates, and licence expiry dates. Approximately 70-75 licensed HMOs are listed. The register is not an interactive searchable database. No selective licensing public register exists as no scheme is in operation.
Supporting sources
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Dartford.
Mandatory licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the entire Dartford borough. Applies to properties occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more separate households who share basic amenities. The 3-storey height requirement was removed from 1 October 2018, bringing single and two-storey qualifying HMOs into scope. Approximately 75 licensed HMOs were active in the borough as of mid-2025.
Mandatory licensing commenced April 2006 under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004. The 3-storey height requirement was removed from 1 October 2018 by the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018. Minimum bedroom sizes apply: single person aged 10+ must be at least 6.51 sqm; two persons aged 10+ at least 10.22 sqm; child under 10 at least 4.64 sqm. All HMOs (whether licensable or not) must meet amenity standards, have fire detection/prevention measures, and be free from Category One hazards. Applications processed within 12 weeks of valid documentation receipt; tacit authorisation applies if no council contact within agreed timeframe. New planning permission requirements: from 9 December 2025 all new HMOs north of the A2 require planning permission; from 10 December 2026 all new HMOs south of the A2 require planning permission (exceptions apply for C3-use properties with 6 or fewer occupants south of the A2 prior to December 2026).
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Dartford summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the area-based route→
Use the selective licensing page if the real question is whether a standard rented home sits inside a designated area.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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