HMO licensing

New applications

To make a licence application valid (and thus for a landlord to fulfil their statutory duty to apply for a licence) we need: 

1. A fully completed application form.
2. The fee paid in full

Information you need for an application  

You must provide contact details for all interested parties, including:

• Applicant
• Proposed licence holder
  • Proof of identity (passport or driving licence photo card scan)
• Manager(s)
• Owner/Joint owners
• Any long-term tenant(s)/leaseholder(s) 
• Any other person willing to be bound by the conditions of the licence
• The mortgage provider(s)

You must have informed all of these people of your intention to apply for an HMO licence before submitting your application, and you will be asked to provide the date on which you (the applicant) informed each party.

You must also provide details of:

• Knowledge of the criminal record, if any, of the applicant, proposed licence holder and manager
• Details of relevant accreditations, qualifications and professional memberships
• Knowledge of the existing planning status of the house
• Details regarding the facilities and amenities of the house
• Details of the tenancy agreement(s)
• Details of the scheme in which the tenancy deposits are held

Supporting documents

You must provide all of the following supporting documents and certificates:

• If the licence holder is a person, valid photo ID – a passport or driving licence (full or provisional)
• A current, valid gas safety certificate
• A current, valid electrical safety certificate – Electrical Installation Certificate or Periodic Inspection Report
• A current, valid fire alarm test certificate
• A current, valid emergency lighting test certificate, if there is emergency lighting in the property
• An energy performance certificate (EPC)
• A PAT certificate for any electrical equipment supplied to the tenants that is more than a year old
• If the HMO is within the Article 4 direction, you will need to provide evidence that the property is lawfully in use as use class C4. This could be:
  • a previous HMO licence
  • a Lawful Development Certificate 
  • a decision notice from a full change of use application

Where a certificate comprises multiple pages, you must provide the whole certificate, not just the first page.

Where there is emergency lighting in the property, you can submit the appropriate self-certification form in lieu of an electrician-provided testing certificate.  Similarly, where there is Grade D interlinked fire detection in the property, you can submit the appropriate self-certification form in lieu of an electrician-provided testing certificate. See the Fire Safety page for more information and to download the forms. You will also find here a useful testing logbook.

Please note:

• If it is your first time using our new system for HMO applications, you will be required to register a new account. For more information on registering please see our advice and guidance webpage for a guide on registering.
• We must have separate contact details for all interested parties
• Applicants who do not have their own email address can nominate a relative, friend or colleague to receive email communications on their behalf.
• Applicants who do not have their own access to the web can arrange with a relative, friend or colleague to submit an application on their behalf. Alternatively, public computers are available in Broadgate House, Customer Service Centre reception or in public libraries.
• We can offer posting a paper HMO application that can be used to submit a licence application. There is an additional charge for this service, please see our fees and charges page for more details.

Apply online for an HMO Licence

What we will do next

We will process your form and (if necessary) contact you to complete the application process or to book an appointment to carry out an inspection of the property.

It is a condition of all HMO licences in Coventry that you send us updated certificates each year as they expire, so we always hold an up-to-date copy in our records.

Unsatisfactory certificates will not be accepted; any remedial works identified on the certificates must be completed and a new satisfactory certificate submitted.

We will inspect the property and draft licence conditions

After we have received your valid application, we will arrange to inspect the house.

We will then draft licence conditions based on the findings from this inspection. The draft licence (known as an intention notice) will be posted to you and other interested parties for consultation. 

You will have an opportunity to make any representations, which we will consider.

Make an HMO licence representation

We will then grant your HMO licence (known as the decision notice). Again, copies will be sent to all interested parties.

If you are still unhappy with the conditions, you will have an opportunity to appeal to the first-tier property tribunal.

We will re-inspect the property later to check conditions have been complied with. Failing to comply with any conditions on your licence is an offence.

If you are a new landlord and have never licensed an HMO before then your first licence will run for one (1) year, and you must renew your HMO licence before it expires. After your first year, you may get the opportunity to apply for longer licences, provided you meet all the renewal criteria.

Renewals

You must renew your licence before it expires.

All HMO licences require completion of a valid renewal application before the current licence expires. Late Renewal submissions will be rejected and a new application will be required.

A valid licence renewal means:

1. Completed renewal form
2. Fee Paid
3. Declaration signed and returned

All HMO licence holders and managers must be 'fit and proper persons'.

We send a renewal reminder approximately two months before licence expiry.

If requested by the Council, you must send us new copies of up-to-date safety certificates within 7 days of receiving such a request.

We will issue your licence automatically based on the information available and documents provided at this time.

The criteria for two year and five year licences.