HMO Licence Renewal in Stoke-on-Trent: When and How to Renew

An HMO licence in Stoke-on-Trent does not last forever, and letting it expire without a duly made application leaves you operating without a licence. Here is what you need to know about licence duration and the renewal process.

How Long Does an HMO Licence Last?

The statutory maximum is five years. Most licences granted by Stoke-on-Trent City Council run for the full five years, but the council has discretion to issue shorter terms — typically one or two years — if there are concerns about management competence, a history of compliance issues, or unresolved planning questions. Your licence document states the exact expiry date.

When to Start the Renewal

There is no statutory automatic renewal. When your licence approaches its expiry date, you must submit a fresh application as if it were a brand new licence. The council does not transfer or roll over existing licences.

Start the process at least three to four months before expiry. The application goes through the same multi-stage workflow as the original — online submission, document uploads, Part 1 fee, validation, Part 2 fee, inspection, draft licence consultation and final decision. If your licence expires before the new one is granted and you have not submitted a duly made application, you are operating unlicensed.

Does Renewal Cost the Same?

Yes — the fee schedule is the same for renewal as for a first application. For properties with up to six bedrooms, that means £428 (Part 1) plus £467 (Part 2) for a total of £895. The £50 multi-property discount still applies if you submit multiple applications within three months.

If the council has updated its fees and charges schedule since your last application, the new rates apply to the renewal.

What Documents Do You Need Again?

All of them. The council needs current versions of everything:

• Photo ID and proof of address for the licence holder
• A gas safety certificate issued within the last 12 months
• An EICR with no outstanding C1 or C2 faults (if yours is still within its five-year validity, the original will do)
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting test certificates issued within the last 12 months
• A current fire risk assessment
• Updated floor plans if you have changed the layout since the last licence

If your circumstances have changed — a different managing agent, a new mortgage provider, structural alterations — the renewal application is where you declare all of that.

The Fit and Proper Person Test Again

The council re-assesses whether you are a fit and proper person to hold a licence every time you apply. If you have picked up any unspent criminal convictions, housing law contraventions, or civil penalties since the last application, you must declare them. The council also checks whether any previous licence conditions were breached during the outgoing term.

What About the Old Selective Licensing Scheme?

If you held a selective licence for a property in Fenton or Cobridge under the scheme that expired on 4 August 2019, there is nothing to renew. That scheme is gone, and no new selective licensing designation is currently in force. You do not need to apply for a replacement. If your property also meets the mandatory HMO threshold (five or more persons, two or more households), you need a mandatory HMO licence — but that is a separate obligation, not a renewal of the old selective licence.

What Happens If You Miss the Expiry?

Once the licence expires without a duly made renewal application in progress, you are operating an unlicensed HMO. The same penalties apply as for someone who never had a licence at all — prosecution with an unlimited fine, civil penalties up to £40,000, and tenant eligibility for a rent repayment order covering up to 24 months of rent.

The Stoke-on-Trent Landlord Licensing Guide includes a renewal timeline checklist and a full walkthrough of the documents, fees and inspection process so nothing gets missed.

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