Portsmouth Metastreet HMO Application: Portal and Email Guide

Portsmouth processes every HMO licence application through Metastreet, a cloud-based licensing platform. The portal handles the form and payment, but it does not handle your compliance documents — those go through a separate email channel. Missing either half leaves your application incomplete, and an incomplete application does not give you statutory protection against unlicensed-operation penalties.

Setting Up Your Metastreet Account

New applicants create a fresh account on the portal. If you have held a Portsmouth HMO licence before, your data may have been migrated during a platform update. In that case, do not create a new account — use the password reset function with the email address tied to your previous council records. This retrieves your existing property data and licence history.

Once logged in, review every auto-populated field carefully. Migrated records sometimes carry outdated occupancy figures, old certificate dates, or incorrect room counts. Update anything that no longer reflects the property's current state before progressing the application.

What the Portal Collects

The Metastreet form captures the property address, proposed licence holder and manager details, occupancy configuration (number of persons and households), room layout declarations, and the Part 1 fee payment. Filling in the form and paying the fee is necessary — but it is not sufficient.

The Email Channel

All supporting compliance documents must be emailed to [email protected]. This includes the metric floor plan, fire risk assessment, gas safety certificate, EICR, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates, and PAT records. The portal does not prominently flag this requirement, and it is the single most common reason applications are treated as incomplete.

When emailing documents:

• Put the property address and your Metastreet application reference in the subject line
• Attach each document as a clearly named PDF (e.g., "14-Albert-Road-EICR-2026.pdf")
• Keep a copy of the sent email — it is your proof of submission if processing delays arise

When Is an Application "Duly Made"?

An application reaches "duly made" status under Section 63 or 87 of the Housing Act 2004 only when the Metastreet form is complete, all mandatory documents have been received by the licensing team (via email), and the Part 1 fee is paid. Until all three conditions are met, you do not have the statutory protection that shields you from prosecution for operating an unlicensed HMO.

A saved draft in Metastreet, a partial form submission, or a paid form with documents still unsent all fail the "duly made" test.

Our Portsmouth Landlord Licensing Guide walks through the full portal and email workflow step by step, with a document preparation checklist to make sure nothing is missed.

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