Additional HMO licensing in Reading
Yes. Reading 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
Reading operates a borough-wide additional licensing scheme which came into force on 1 March 2026. It covers houses in multiple occupation let to three or four people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, and individual flats that operate as HMOs, in each case where the property is not already caught by the national mandatory regime. The fee is £1,500, taken in two equal parts: £750 on application, covering processing, and £750 covering compliance, with the scheme including two inspections. Applications opened on 1 March 2026, with an agent portal from 1 February 2026, and inspections were expected to begin from September 2026. A landlord who applies late may face a £250 surcharge as well as enforcement action. Letting a licensable HMO without a licence carries a civil penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order.
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 Reading before letting.