Peterborough · 2026 fees
Landlord licence fees Peterborough 2026
Peterborough runs all three schemes, which is unusual, so in a designated area almost every let needs a licence of some kind. Five or more people in two or more households is a mandatory HMO licence at £1,100; three or four people is an additional licence at the same £1,100; anything else privately rented in a designated area is a selective licence at £908. All three figures below are the council’s own.
| Scheme | Council | Fee | Term | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | Peterborough City Council | £1,100Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Part A £367 with the application and Part B £733 on grant. For five or more people forming two or more households. Council page |
| Additional HMO | Peterborough City Council | £1,100Council’s figure | 5 yrs | The same total as the mandatory licence, split differently: Part A £588 and Part B £512. It covers three or four people in two or more households, so a smaller shared house costs the same to license as a large one. Council page |
| Selective licensing | Peterborough City Council | £908Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Part A £538 and Part B £370, for any privately rented home in a designated area that is not an HMO. Peterborough runs all three schemes, so almost every let in the designated areas needs one licence or another. Council page |
How to read these Peterborough 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, Additional HMO and Selective licensing in Peterborough:
- 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 Peterborough
How much does a landlord licence cost in Peterborough in 2026?
Peterborough City Council publishes these fees: Mandatory HMO £1,100, Additional HMO £1,100 and Selective licensing £908. Each covers 5 years and came straight off the council page linked beside each row, 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 Peterborough 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.
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