Landlord licensing in Cherwell Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties with five or more tenants forming two or more households who share facilities. Cherwell Council does not currently have any additional HMO licensing schemes.

Additional licensing

Cherwell Council does not currently have any additional licensing schemes for smaller HMOs.

Selective licensing

Cherwell Council does not currently operate any selective licensing schemes.

Typical fees

Cherwell Council does not currently operate any additional or selective licensing schemes, so no licence fees are applicable beyond mandatory HMO licensing where relevant. Fees for mandatory HMO licences vary based on the application type and number of bedrooms.

Towns covered

Cherwell

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Cherwell Council area, the first step 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 can be 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 and ends section 21 no-fault evictions. Regardless of the licensing position, landlords must provide 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