Landlord licensing in Stevenage Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties with five or more tenants from two or more households who share facilities like a kitchen or bathroom.

Additional licensing

Stevenage Council currently has no additional licensing schemes in operation, but can designate areas where all HMOs, including smaller ones not covered by mandatory licensing, require a licence. These designations run for up to five years and are ward- or street-specific, so confirm the position for the exact address.

Selective licensing

Stevenage Council currently has no selective licensing schemes in operation, but can designate areas where every private rented home, including single-family lets, requires a licence. Check the current designations on the council's website before you advertise.

Towns covered

Stevenage

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Stevenage Council area, confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people from two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet. Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs, and selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Designations, fees, and boundaries change, so always check the council's own licensing pages before each new tenancy. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has replaced fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies and ended section 21 no-fault evictions. Keep an evidence pack for every Stevenage Council tenancy, including a current gas safety record, 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