Additional HMO licensing in Gateshead
Yes. Gateshead operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need an additional HMO licence in Gateshead?
Yes. Gateshead operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Gateshead does the scheme cover?
16 neighbourhoods, designated 18 February 2025, in force 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Gateshead's scheme end?
The designation runs until 31 May 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£976.30. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Gateshead before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £585.80 |
| Part B | £390.50 |
| Total | £976.30 |
- Discounts: accreditation £75 off Part B, early bird £75, multi-property £10
Gateshead — gateshead.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
What the designation says
Gateshead operates an additional licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation, made alongside the selective designation and implemented in a single phase which came into force on 1 June 2025. It extends licensing to shared properties that fall outside the national mandatory regime, typically those let to three or four people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Mandatory HMO licensing continues to apply separately wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households. Because Gateshead also runs selective licensing across two phases of designated neighbourhoods, a landlord should establish which scheme catches a given property before applying.
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 £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. 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 Gateshead before letting.