Landlord licensing in Lincoln 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

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

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

Mandatory HMO licence fees are £1,100 for new applications and £600 for renewals. Additional HMO licence fees are £880 for new applications and £480 for renewals. All fees are payable in two instalments: 50% upon application and the remaining 50% upon grant of the licence.

Towns covered

Lincoln

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Lincoln Council area, first 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 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, maintain a compliance pack for every Lincoln Council tenancy: a current gas safety record where applicable, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website