Council licensing report

Landlord licensing in Medway

Medway has no active local scheme listed. A confirmed or proposed scheme is tracked below, but it does not require a licence until it starts.

What landlords need to know

Status

Medway

Mandatory HMO (national)

Selective licensing: 1 upcoming
Additional HMO licensing: 1 upcoming
Mandatory HMO licensing: Applies nationally
Local scheme coverage: Council check only
Active local schemes: None listed
Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

Selective licensing in Medway

Who is covered, fees, dates and exemptions.

HMO licensing in Medway

Mandatory and additional HMO rules with thresholds.

Check a postcode and address in Medway

Enter the postcode to confirm the council, then pick the address. If a scheme uses a street list, we check the selected street against it and give a direct yes or no.

Local schemes in Medway

Medway selective licensing 2027 to 2032

Selective licensing · confirmed · Listed wards · 4 Jan 2027 to 3 Jan 2032

Coverage: Listed wards
Fee: £1,600

Medway selective licensing applies from 4 January 2027 to privately rented homes let to a single household or 2 unrelated sharers in Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Strood North & Frindsbury, Watling wards. Applications open on 4 January 2027.

Show the 7 wards covered by this scheme

Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Strood North & Frindsbury, Watling.

Medway additional HMO licensing 2027 to 2032

Additional HMO licensing · confirmed · Listed wards · 4 Jan 2027 to 3 Jan 2032

Coverage: Listed wards
Fee: £840

Medway additional HMO licensing applies from 4 January 2027 to HMOs with 3 or 4 people from more than one household that do not need a mandatory licence, in Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Watling wards. Section 257 HMOs are excluded. Applications open on 4 January 2027.

Show the 6 wards covered by this scheme

Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Watling.

Common rental setups in Medway

The right licence depends on who lives in the property, how the household is structured, and where the property sits in the council area. These are the situations we see most often, with what Medway's current rules say about each.

Single tenant in a flat or studio

No licence needed

One adult renting a self-contained flat or a studio with their own kitchen and bathroom.

No landlord licence is needed under current Medway rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Couple renting a whole house

No licence needed

Two people from one household renting an entire house on one tenancy.

No landlord licence is needed under current Medway rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Family renting a whole house

No licence needed

Parents and dependent children from one household renting an entire house.

No landlord licence is needed under current Medway rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Three sharers from different households

Worth confirming

Three friends or three unrelated tenants on a joint tenancy, sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

This is a small HMO under the section 254 definition, but it does not need a mandatory licence and Medway does not currently licence smaller HMOs. Standard HMO management rules and fire-safety duties still apply.

Four sharers from different households

Worth confirming

Four unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

Five or more sharers from different households

Licence needed

Five or more unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific. An additional HMO licence is not also required.

Lodger with a live-in landlord

No licence needed

Owner-occupier letting a room to one or two lodgers in their own home.

Letting to a lodger while you live in the property is exempt from HMO licensing in most cases. Selective licensing exemptions also normally cover owner-occupier lets.

Student house of five

Licence needed

Five students from at least two households sharing a converted house.

Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific. An additional HMO licence is not also required.

Buying a property in Medway

A property licence does not transfer when a property changes hands. If you buy a let property that needs a licence under Medway's rules, the existing licence ends and you need to apply for a new one in your own name. The seller's solicitor should disclose any existing licence and any open enforcement notices.

Medway does not currently run a selective or additional HMO scheme, so a single-let purchase usually does not need a licence. A larger HMO purchase can still need a mandatory HMO licence. Apply before the property becomes licensable.

Owner-occupiers buying to live in the property do not need a licence. The rules only apply when a property is rented out.

Talk to Medway directly

Anything on this page that you cannot find an answer to, the council's licensing team can confirm in minutes.

Email the licensing team

[email protected]

Phone the licensing team

01634 331 200

Apply for a licence

Application form on Medway's website

Public licence register

Search licensed properties in Medway

Official licensing page

Medway council guidance