Landlord licensing in South Cambridgeshire 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.

Towns covered

South Cambridgeshire

What this means for you

If you let a property in the South Cambridgeshire 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. Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check the council's licensing pages for current designations, fees, and boundaries before each new tenancy. The Renters' Rights Act 2025, with main provisions commencing in 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. Keep the same evidence pack for every South Cambridgeshire Council tenancy: 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 all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website