Peterborough Property Licensing Public Register: How to Search It

The Council Must Maintain a Public Register

Under Section 232 of the Housing Act 2004, every local housing authority that operates licensing schemes must maintain a publicly accessible register of licensed properties. Peterborough City Council publishes this register through its website, and anyone — tenants, prospective buyers, mortgage lenders, or neighbouring landlords — can search it.

The register shows whether a specific property holds a current licence, what type of licence it is (selective, additional HMO, or mandatory HMO), the licence holder's name, and the expiry date. It is the authoritative source for checking whether a particular Peterborough rental property is properly licensed.

How to Use the Register

Peterborough's licensing register is accessible through the council's website. You search by property address, and the system returns the licensing status. There is no charge to search.

The register is most useful in three situations:

For tenants: If you are renting (or considering renting) a property in a designated licensing area, checking the register confirms whether your landlord has a valid licence. If they do not, you may be entitled to apply for a Rent Repayment Order recovering up to 24 months of rent.

For property buyers: If you are purchasing a buy-to-let property, checking the register tells you whether the current owner holds a valid licence and when it expires. Since licences are non-transferable, you will need to apply for a new licence after purchase — but knowing the current status helps you plan.

For landlords checking competitors: Some landlords search the register to verify that neighbouring properties are also properly licensed, particularly in HMO-dense streets where unlicensed operators may be undercutting rents.

Why Third-Party Aggregators Are Unreliable

Several PropTech platforms — notably AgentHMO — aggregate licensing data from councils across England and present it in a single searchable interface. While convenient, these aggregators have serious accuracy problems.

AgentHMO's Peterborough data has been observed showing outdated static snapshots — in some cases from as early as May 2024, incorrectly stating that Peterborough operates only mandatory HMO licensing. This misses both the Selective Licensing scheme (relaunched March 2024) and the Additional HMO Licensing scheme (launched January 2026).

A landlord relying on AgentHMO to determine whether their property needs a licence could easily conclude that no licence is required — and face a civil penalty of up to £40,000 as a result. Always use the council's own register, not a third-party copy.

What the Register Does Not Tell You

The public register confirms licensing status, but it does not tell you:

• Whether a property needs a licence (that depends on occupancy, household composition, and location — not just whether a licence exists)
• Whether the licence holder is compliant with all licence conditions
• Whether there are outstanding enforcement actions or improvement notices against the property
• Whether the property has planning permission for its current use

A property appearing on the register with a valid licence is not necessarily free of housing hazards or enforcement concerns. The licence is a regulatory permission, not a quality certificate.

What If a Property Is Not on the Register?

If you search for a property and it does not appear, there are several possibilities:

• The property genuinely does not need a licence (it is outside the designated selective licensing areas and does not meet a city-wide HMO licensing threshold, or it falls into one of the statutory exemptions)
• The property needs a licence but the landlord has not applied — this is an offence
• The application is pending — a "duly made" application protects the landlord from prosecution, but the property will not appear as fully licensed until the application is determined
• The register data is not yet updated — there can be a lag between a licence being granted and appearing on the public-facing register

If you are a tenant and suspect your landlord is operating without a licence, you can report this to Peterborough City Council's Housing Standards team at [email protected].

Our Peterborough Landlord Licensing Guide includes the full decision framework for determining whether your property needs a licence — covering all three schemes, the ward boundaries, and the occupancy thresholds — so you do not have to rely on the register alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Peterborough licensing register free to search?

Yes. The public register is published on Peterborough City Council's website and can be searched by address at no cost.

Can I trust AgentHMO or HouseFile for Peterborough licensing data?

Use these platforms with caution. Aggregators can show outdated snapshots that miss recently introduced schemes. Always cross-reference against the council's own register.

Does a property appearing on the register mean it passes all safety checks?

No. The register confirms that a licence has been granted, but a licence does not certify that the property is free of hazards. Compliance with licence conditions is checked through separate inspection cycles.

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