South East · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Tunbridge Wells
✓ Hand-verified 19 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Tunbridge Wells does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
The band is set by how many people live in the property, and the licence lasts 5 years.
| 5 to 7 occupants | £813 |
| 8 or more | £908 |
- Renewal 5-7 £701, 8 or more £748. 5-year licence
Tunbridge Wells, read 19 August 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 19 Aug 2026): the council HMO page (review date 1 April 2027) states "HMOs must be licensed where they are occupied by five persons or more in two or more households" and describes mandatory licensing only. No s.80 selective designation is named and no consultation, committee decision or Article 4 Direction 2020-2026 was found on tunbridgewells.gov.uk. Tunbridge Wells is a DIFFERENT Kent authority from Tonbridge and Malling, and Royal Tunbridge Wells is a different town from Tonbridge. Also distinct from Sevenoaks, Maidstone and Kent County Council.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 19 Aug 2026): the council HMO page names no s.56 additional designation. Fee banded by occupancy from 1 April 2026, quoted verbatim: "5 - 7 occupants £813 / 8 or more occupants £908", with renewal at "5 - 7 occupants £701 / 8 or more occupants £748" for a five-year licence. NOTE a conflict on the council's own domain: a separate payments page still lists an earlier set (new licence 5-7 £783, 8+ £875; renewal 5-7 £675, 8+ £721). The 1 April 2026 table on the HMO page is treated as current; re-read both at the next refresh. this row previously held a flat £1,100, which is not a figure Tunbridge Wells publishes on either page.
Common questions
Does Tunbridge Wells have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Tunbridge Wells does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Tunbridge Wells have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Tunbridge Wells 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 Tunbridge Wells?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Tunbridge Wells, 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
All property licensing in South East →
Source: Tunbridge Wells licensing page →
Every landlord in Tunbridge Wells 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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