Hounslow HMO Licence Fees: Full Breakdown for 2026

The council licensing fee is often the first thing landlords look up — and the most misquoted number across third-party websites. Here is exactly what Hounslow Council charges, how the accreditation discount works, and what you cannot get refunded.

The Fee Structure

Hounslow sets licence fees under section 63(3) of the Housing Act 2004. The total is a base fee plus a per-household surcharge:

The formula is straightforward:

Total = Base Fee + (Number of Households × £25)

So a three-person shared house with three separate households costs a standard landlord £1,608 + (3 × £25) = £1,683. An accredited landlord pays £1,509 + £75 = £1,584.

Real Examples by Property Size

These figures apply to both mandatory and additional HMO licences. The fee schedule is the same regardless of scheme.

The £99 Accreditation Discount

Accredited landlords save £99 on the base fee (£1,608 → £1,509). To qualify, you must hold active membership in a recognised professional body at the time of application. Hounslow accepts:

• London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS)
• National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA)
• Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA Propertymark)
• National Approved Lettings Scheme (NALS / Safeagent)
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA)

LLAS accreditation is often the most accessible route for small landlords. The training can be completed online and the certificate is valid for multiple boroughs across London. If you hold multiple properties across different London boroughs, the same accreditation typically qualifies for discounts elsewhere too.

You must upload proof of active membership during the online application. Expired certificates or lapsed memberships will not qualify.

The Room Measurement Service

If you cannot provide scaled floor plans showing internal room dimensions in square metres, Hounslow offers an in-house measurement service at £32 per room. A council officer visits the property, measures each room and produces a sketch plan. This is optional — you can prepare your own floor plans if they meet the council's standards (exact dimensions in m², room labels, fire door positions, detector locations).

For a five-room HMO, the measurement service adds £160 to your total costs. Preparing your own plans saves that fee, though the council will reject inaccurate measurements during the inspection stage.

What Is Not Refundable

Hounslow's refund policy is strict. A full refund is only granted if the application was a genuine mistake:

• A duplicate application for a property that already holds a valid licence
• An application for a property that is legally exempt or does not meet HMO criteria

No refund is given for voluntary withdrawal, licence refusal, licence revocation, planning refusal, or a property that stops operating as an HMO after you have applied. Outside the mistake cases above, the base fee is not refunded once submitted.

This makes getting the application right first time critical. Applying for the wrong scheme, submitting incomplete documents or failing the fit-and-proper check costs you the fee with no recovery.

Payment and Timing

Fees are payable by credit or debit card at the time of online submission through the council portal. You cannot pay in instalments or defer payment — the application is not "duly made" until the form is complete, required safety certificates are uploaded and the fee is paid in full.

The Hounslow Landlord Licensing Guide includes a fee calculator worksheet so you can work out your exact total before starting the portal application, and covers how to secure the accreditation discount if you are not already a member of a qualifying body.

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