Cambridge · 2026 fees
Landlord licence fees Cambridge 2026
Cambridge City Council operates mandatory large-HMO licensing for any HMO occupied by five or more people forming two or more households. The council-confirmed fee for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 is £1,133, reduced to £1,000 where you apply at least eight weeks before an existing licence expires. Cambridge has not designated a borough-wide selective scheme, so ordinary single-family lets are outside licensing here.
| Scheme | Council | Fee | Term | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | Cambridge City Council | £1,133Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Council-confirmed fee for 1 Apr 2026–31 Mar 2027; reduced to £1,000 if you apply at least 8 weeks before your current licence expires. Council page |
How to read these Cambridge licence fees
Which fee applies depends on the type of licence a property needs. Three regimes operate across England, and the schedule above covers Mandatory HMO in Cambridge:
- Mandatory HMO licence, required for any house in multiple occupation with five or more people forming two or more households, anywhere in England.
- Additional HMO licence, which a council can extend HMO licensing to smaller shared houses inside a designated area.
- Selective licence, covering most or all privately rented homes (not just HMOs) within a specific designated zone, set in five-yearly cycles.
Fees are set per council, usually run for a five-year term and are commonly charged per property, though some authorities add a per-room element for larger HMOs. Following the Hemming and Gaskin court rulings, many councils now split the cost into a Part A application charge and a Part B grant charge, so the headline figure can be payable in two stages. Early-application and accreditation discounts are widely available and can cut the total noticeably.
Because each authority sets and reviews its own schedule independently, two neighbouring councils can differ by hundreds of pounds for the same property. Budget from the specific council’s current fee page, linked in the table, rather than a city-wide average.
FAQs: landlord licence fees in Cambridge
How much does a landlord licence cost in Cambridge in 2026?
Cambridge City Council publishes this fee: Mandatory HMO £1,133. It covers 5 years and came straight off the council page linked beside it, checked on 20 September 2026. The table shows how a fee splits between the application and the grant, and which discounts come off. Most councils reprice on 1 April.
Are licence fees per property or per landlord?
Per property. If you own multiple let properties in designated areas, each one typically needs its own licence and fee. Some councils run portfolio discounts for accredited landlords.
What happens if I let without a licence?
Letting a property that requires a selective or HMO licence without one is a criminal offence. Civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences from 1 May 2026, and tenants can apply for a Rent Repayment Order of up to two years’ rent. Ignorance of the scheme is not a defence.
Do licence fees change year to year?
Yes. Most councils reprice on 1 April and a new scheme cycle can move the fee further. The amounts above are Cambridge City Council's published figures as at 20 September 2026; the council link beside each row is always the live position.
Can I claim licence fees as a rental expense?
HMRC generally treats landlord licence fees as a deductible rental business expense for income tax where the licence is required to let the property. If the fee covers more than one tax year you may need to apportion it. Check with your accountant for your circumstances.
Related
Other cities
