East of England · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Southend-on-Sea
✓ Hand-verified 19 Aug 2026Southend-on-Sea operates discretionary property licensing. Letting an unlicensed property where a scheme applies risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000 and a rent repayment order — check whether your property is covered below.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
Southend-on-Sea sets this fee under section 63(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Its current charge is not yet recorded here.
The council’s own licensing page carries the charge that applies today — confirm it there before you budget.
Not established is not the same as free.
Southend-on-Sea operates a selective licensing scheme that came into force on 1 December 2021 and runs until 30 November 2026, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004. It covers specific neighbourhoods within the wards of Milton, Kursaal, Victoria and Chalkwell rather than the whole of those wards, so an address inside one of those wards is not automatically inside the scheme. The council is reviewing the scheme's impact close to the end of its five-year term, and no renewal, replacement or extension has been designated. Separately it has consulted on whether additional HMO licensing would improve housing conditions further; that consultation has closed and no outcome has been published.
Areas: Neighbourhoods within Milton, Kursaal, Victoria and Chalkwell wards. Designation made 18 March 2021
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £208 |
| Part B | £622 |
| Total | £830 |
Southend-on-Sea — southend.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
Scheme runs until: 30 November 2026
Southend-on-Sea does not operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing applies, so a licence is required where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. The council has consulted on whether an additional scheme would improve housing conditions, alongside its review of the selective scheme, and that consultation has closed without a published outcome or designation.
Common questions
Does Southend-on-Sea have a selective licensing scheme?
Yes. Southend-on-Sea operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a property covered by it 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.
Does Southend-on-Sea have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Southend-on-Sea does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Southend-on-Sea?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Southend-on-Sea, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
Selective licensing in Southend-on-Sea: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in East of England →
Source: Southend-on-Sea licensing page →
Every landlord in Southend-on-Sea also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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