Additional HMO licensing in Coventry
Yes. Coventry operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
What the designation says
Coventry operates a city-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. The current (renewed) scheme designation was made on 7 October 2024, came into force on 4 May 2025 and runs until 3 May 2030 (5 years). It applies to any HMO occupied by 3 or 4 occupiers irrespective of storeys, plus section 257 HMOs that are mainly or wholly tenanted (with limited exemptions for two-flat blocks not above commercial premises and where the building shares no internal/external common parts and is no more than two storeys). The original city-wide scheme ran from 4 May 2020 to 3 May 2025 and resulted in around 11,598 licence conditions added and approximately £1.6m of investment in HMO improvements. Licence fees range from £820 to £2,070 depending on eligibility. Coventry Landlord Accreditation Scheme (CLAS) is a free voluntary scheme.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and a section 21 notice that cannot be served while the property is unlicensed. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Coventry before letting.