Landlord licensing in Ashford Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Additional licensing

Ashford Council has not implemented an additional licensing scheme at present. Landlords should check the council's website for any future updates.

Selective licensing

Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check the current designations before you advertise.

Typical fees

For Mandatory HMO licences, the fee is £950 for a new application or £650 for a renewal. Fees are payable in two parts.

Towns covered

Ashford

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Ashford Council area, the first job is to confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs. Designations run for up to five years and are ward- or street-specific, so confirm the position for the exact address. Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check the current designations before you advertise. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions commence 2026) replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, ends section 21 no-fault evictions and introduces a national landlord database and ombudsman. Whatever the licensing position, landlords and agents should keep a current gas safety record where there is gas, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and the required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website