Which councils in South East have selective licensing?

Our current data shows 10 of the 65 councils in South East operating an active selective licensing scheme, and 11 operating additional HMO licensing. Schemes can be borough or district-wide or limited to certain wards, so always confirm with the council.

Does mandatory HMO licensing apply in South East?

Yes. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across all of England, including this region, to properties with five or more occupiers forming two or more households. Many councils also run additional licensing covering smaller shared houses.

How do I check licensing for a property in South East?

Use the postcode checker to match the address to its council and see whether our current data shows selective or additional licensing for that area, then verify with the council. Because some schemes only cover certain wards, postcode-level checking matters.

Is this comparison official?

No. It is a research summary based on our current data, not an official record. Councils can introduce, renew, or end schemes at any time, so treat it as a starting point and verify the latest position with the council.

Region hub

South East property licensing

This hub compares selective and additional HMO licensing across the 65 councils in South East, alongside how usable each council's public register is. Use it as a starting point, then check a specific address and verify with the council.

Councils: 65
Active selective: 10
Active additional: 11
Searchable registers: 8

Licensing by council in South East

Register usability is scored 1 (clear searchable register) to 5 (no clear public route). All statuses reflect our current data and should be verified with the council.

Council	Selective	Additional HMO	Register
Adur	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Arun	None shown	Active	1/5
Ashford	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Basingstoke and Deane	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Bracknell Forest	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Brighton and Hove	Active	Active	3/5
Buckinghamshire Council	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Canterbury City Council	None shown	None shown	2/5
Central Bedfordshire Council	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Cherwell	None shown	Active	Not confirmed
Chichester	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Crawley	Active	Active	Not confirmed
Dartford	Active	None shown	5/5
Dover	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
East Hampshire	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Eastbourne Borough Council	Active	None shown	Not confirmed
Eastleigh	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Elmbridge	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Epsom and Ewell	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Fareham	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Folkestone and Hythe	None shown	None shown	5/5
Gosport	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Gravesham	Active	Active	5/5
Guildford	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Hart	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Hastings Borough Council	Proposed	Former	1/5
Havant	Active	None shown	Not confirmed
Horsham	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Isle of Wight	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Lewes	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Maidstone	Active	Active	Not confirmed
Medway Council	Proposed	Proposed	3/5
Mid Sussex	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Milton Keynes	Active	None shown	Not confirmed
Mole Valley	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
New Forest	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Oxford City Council	Active	Active	1/5
Portsmouth	Proposed	Active	1/5
Reading	Proposed	Active	1/5
Reigate and Banstead	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Rother	None shown	None shown	1/5
Runnymede	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Rushmoor	None shown	None shown	1/5
Sevenoaks	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Slough Borough Council	Former	Former	1/5
South Oxfordshire	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Southampton City Council	Proposed	Active	3/5
Spelthorne	None shown	None shown	3/5
Surrey Heath Borough Council	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Swale	Active	None shown	5/5
Tandridge	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Test Valley	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Thanet District Council	Proposed	None shown	5/5
Tonbridge and Malling	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Tunbridge Wells	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Vale of White Horse	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Waverley	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Wealden	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
West Berkshire	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
West Oxfordshire	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Winchester	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Windsor and Maidenhead	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Woking	Former	Active	3/5
Wokingham	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed
Worthing	None shown	None shown	Not confirmed

Our current data is a research summary, not a legal record. Schemes, boundaries, fees, and registers should always be verified with the council before letting, purchasing, refinancing, or taking legal action. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across the region regardless of any local scheme.

Stay informed

Get notified when licensing schemes change

Useful if you are tracking an area before buying, letting, or reviewing compliance. We send occasional update emails only, and you should still verify final requirements with the council.

No spam. No generic marketing blasts. Just occasional licensing updates.

Browse other regions

East Midlands East of England London North East North West South West West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber

Selective licensing areas

All councils operating selective licensing, by region.

Additional HMO areas

Councils running additional HMO licensing, by region.

How usable each council's public register is.

Checking a property in South East?

Use the free checker first. A written review can document the council licensing position and official sources if a decision needs it.

Free checker

Free · Live now

Check a postcode, open the council page, and use the guides before paying for anything.

Open the free checker

Property Licensing Check

£29 · Live now

A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.

Request the review

Alerts and monitoring

£12.99/month · Coming soon

A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.

See alerts and monitoring

These are information services, not legal advice. Final reliance should still be checked against council sources.

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.