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 Portsmouth, 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 Portsmouth.
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.
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Property Licensing Check
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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
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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
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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.
City-wide additional HMO licensing scheme covering all smaller HMOs (3-4 occupants) across the entire Portsmouth City Council area. Approximately 4,800 HMOs in the city are affected by this scheme. The scheme also incorporates Section 257 HMOs (purpose-built converted flat blocks not complying with 1991 building regulations, where two-thirds or more of flats are rented out).
Approved by Portsmouth City Council Cabinet on 29 November 2022. Cabinet first agreed to consult on 22 March 2022. Consultation ran from 23 May 2022 to 31 July 2022 and received over 1,000 responses. The scheme is treated as entirely new; landlords who held licences under the 2013-2018 scheme were required to apply again. The scheme is city-wide unlike the 2013-2018 predecessor which covered only PO1, PO4, and PO5 postcodes. Approximately 4,800 HMOs are estimated to require licensing under this scheme. The same scheme also encompasses Section 257 buildings (separate page and fees apply - see Section 257 Additional Licensing entry). Application portal: https://hmo.portsmouth.gov.uk/ Property types covered: Properties with 3 or 4 occupants forming 2 or more households (shared houses and bedsits with shared amenities); converted buildings with 3-4 occupants where occupants must cross common areas to access facilities; purpose-built self-contained flats within blocks of 3 or more self-contained flats occupied by 3 or more people (Section 257). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already subject to mandatory HMO licensing (5+ occupants). Section 257 buildings where fewer than two-thirds of flats are rented out. Buildings occupied by only two people forming two separate households..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
City-wide Section 257 licensing for converted blocks of flats that do not comply with 1991 building regulations and where two-thirds or more of the flats are rented out. Part of the 2023-2028 Additional HMO Licensing Scheme.
Section 257 is defined under Housing Act 2004. Portsmouth treats Section 257 properties as part of its broader 2023-2028 additional licensing scheme. The licence is specific to the converted block rather than individual flats. Applications via the same portal: https://hmo.portsmouth.gov.uk/ Property types covered: Buildings converted into flats where the conversion does not comply with 1991 building regulations, where two-thirds or more of flats are rented out (including those with resident landlords), and where 3 or more people occupy the building.. Exemptions or exclusions: Buildings where fewer than two-thirds of flats are rented out. Buildings occupied by only two people forming two separate households..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
City-wide mandatory licensing for all HMOs with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households. Since 1 October 2018, the three-storey requirement was removed and all HMOs with 5 or more occupiers must be licensed regardless of the number of storeys.
Mandatory under Housing Act 2004 Part 2. Extended to all storeys from 1 October 2018. Tiered licence structure: 1-year licence for concerns (fit and proper, non-compliance, multiple complaints, missing documents, no planning permission); 2.5-year licence for standard compliant applications (max 1 justified complaint, all documentation current, planning evidence); 5-year licence requires all 2.5-year criteria plus zero complaints, council-approved accreditation, valid EPC band E+, and timely renewal application. Property types covered: Properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households, including: shared houses and bedsits sharing amenities; flats in non-purpose-built blocks; converted buildings with 5+ occupants where at least one unit lacks an independent entrance; self-contained flats in blocks of 2 or fewer where 5+ people occupy.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Portsmouth City Council does not operate a selective licensing scheme and is not currently consulting on or planning to introduce one (as confirmed by Kamma data as of August 2024 and no new proposals found as of March 2026).
No selective licensing scheme has been operated by Portsmouth City Council at any point identified in available sources. The council's HMO licensing strategy focuses on mandatory and additional HMO licensing. Selective licensing (which would cover all private rented properties in a designated area regardless of HMO status) has not been introduced or proposed.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Portsmouth's first additional HMO licensing scheme, covering properties in the PO1, PO4, and PO5 postcode areas only (not city-wide). Covered smaller HMOs with 3-4 occupants in those designated areas.
Introduced in 2013 by Cabinet member for housing Darren Sanders. By the end of the scheme (April 2018 HMO Governance Board review), 3,074 out of 3,103 identified HMOs had been licensed, with 126 out of 190 Section 257 properties licensed. The scheme was dropped in 2018 following a review which found 'inconclusive' evidence of its effectiveness. An approximate 5-year gap in additional licensing followed until the new city-wide scheme launched in September 2023 (this gap was approximately 2018-2023). Exact start and end dates are approximate (year only confirmed; month-level dates not found in sources). Property types covered: Smaller HMOs with 3-4 occupants forming 2 or more households in the designated postcode areas. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties outside PO1, PO4, and PO5 postcode areas. Properties subject to mandatory HMO licensing..
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
27 March 2026
Research confidence
High (87/100)
Sources checked
21
Portsmouth City Council's website was directly accessible for all key pages. Fee tables were retrieved directly from official fee pages. Scheme dates (start 1 September 2023, end 31 August 2028) are confirmed across multiple official and third-party sources. Approval date of 29 November 2022 is confirmed by official council news release and third-party sources. The 2013-2018 previous scheme history is well documented by PDPLA and council democracy portal sources. Selective licensing status (none) is confirmed by official sources and Kamma. The Section 257 scheme details and fees were obtained directly from the official fees page. The only area of moderate uncertainty is the exact start/end month of the 2013-2018 previous scheme (year only confirmed) and the precise contact address.
Portsmouth operates an online searchable public register of licensed HMOs at hmo.portsmouth.gov.uk. The register allows searching by address/postcode, by name, or by licence number. An 'Export Register' option is available for bulk download. For licences applied for before 1 December 2023, the online register may not include full details; for those records, contact hmo.licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk directly. A full copy of the HMO public register can also be requested by emailing the licensing team. A separate HMO database compiled from licensing and planning data is available at https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/services/development-and-planning/planning-applications/planning-houses-in-multiple-occupation/houses-in-multiple-occupation-hmo-database/ - this lists all HMOs including those identified through planning routes as well as licensed properties. The register is maintained under the statutory duty of the Housing Act 2004.
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 Portsmouth.
City-wide mandatory licensing for all HMOs with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households. Since 1 October 2018, the three-storey requirement was removed and all HMOs with 5 or more occupiers must be licensed regardless of the number of storeys.
Mandatory under Housing Act 2004 Part 2. Extended to all storeys from 1 October 2018. Tiered licence structure: 1-year licence for concerns (fit and proper, non-compliance, multiple complaints, missing documents, no planning permission); 2.5-year licence for standard compliant applications (max 1 justified complaint, all documentation current, planning evidence); 5-year licence requires all 2.5-year criteria plus zero complaints, council-approved accreditation, valid EPC band E+, and timely renewal application. Property types covered: Properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households, including: shared houses and bedsits sharing amenities; flats in non-purpose-built blocks; converted buildings with 5+ occupants where at least one unit lacks an independent entrance; self-contained flats in blocks of 2 or fewer where 5+ people occupy.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Portsmouth 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 additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
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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