Additional HMO licensing in Peterborough
Yes. Peterborough 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
Peterborough City Council operates a city-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. Formally designated on 15 October 2025 (following Cabinet decision on 2 October 2025), it came into force on 26 January 2026 and runs for 5 years until 25 January 2031. It applies to all HMOs containing 3 or 4 unrelated persons sharing a toilet, bathroom or kitchen across the entire city, plus section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats not meeting 1991 Building Regulations with more than a third let on shorthold tenancies). The scheme covers approximately 2,000 properties not previously requiring a licence. Licence fee £1,100 split into two parts (£588 Part A + £512 Part B). Administered by Home Safe. A consultation ran between 19 May and 31 July 2025 - 74% of tenants said HMO landlords had a negative local impact, 65% agreed additional licensing should be introduced. Enforcement period began 26 April 2026 (3 months after scheme start).
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 Peterborough before letting.