Coventry HMO Public Register: How to Check if a Property Is Licensed

Whether you are a tenant checking that your landlord is properly licensed, a buyer doing due diligence on an HMO acquisition, or a landlord confirming your own licence status, the Coventry HMO public register is the starting point. Every local authority in England is required to maintain a register of licensed HMOs under the Housing Act 2004, and Coventry City Council publishes theirs through its online licensing portal.

How to Access the Register

The public register is accessible through Coventry City Council's online HMO Licence Register at coventry.gov.uk. You do not need a portal account to search it. The register lists properties with granted licences, including the address, licence holder name, licence number, and expiry date.

One important limitation: applications submitted before the council migrated to its current Idox portal on 26 September 2022 may not appear in the online system. If you are searching for a property licensed under the original 2020–2025 additional licensing scheme and cannot find it, contact the Private Sector Housing Team directly at [email protected] to confirm its status.

What the Register Does and Does Not Tell You

The register confirms whether a granted licence exists for a specific address and when it expires. It shows the name of the licence holder and the maximum permitted occupancy.

It does not show applications that are still being processed. A property can have a valid pending application — which gives it legal protection against prosecution — without appearing on the register of granted licences. It also does not show whether the licence has any outstanding conditions that require remedial work, or whether the council has served any enforcement notices.

For buyers, this matters. A property appearing on the register means it had a licence at the date of grant. It does not mean the licence is still in good standing, that conditions have been met, or that it transfers to a new owner. HMO licences in Coventry are non-transferable — a purchaser must apply for a new licence.

Why Tenants Should Check

Under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, tenants living in an unlicensed HMO that should have been licensed can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a rent repayment order. For relevant unlicensed-operation offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, the maximum period covered by a rent repayment order is 24 months of rent.

Checking the register is the quickest way to confirm whether your property has a current licence. If the property does not appear and your landlord cannot provide a licence number or valid application reference, there may be grounds for a claim.

For Landlords: Confirming Your Own Status

If you applied for a licence and have not received a decision, you can track your application through the portal using your account login. A "valid application" — meaning a completed form, signed declaration, and paid Stage 1 fee — gives you legal protection during processing. But that protection only exists if all three elements were completed. Paying the fee alone, without finishing the declaration, does not count.

If you are uncertain about your application status or cannot access the portal, email [email protected] with your application reference number.

For a complete walkthrough of the Coventry HMO licensing process — from checking whether you need a licence through to the granted licence conditions — see our Coventry landlord licensing guide.

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