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- The Drawings4Planning technical teamChartered architectural technologists (MCIAT)
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- 3 min
Terrace of London stock brick cottages with sash windows, climbing plants and a white picket fence, seen under autumn trees. Photo: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What is in the £449?
The part of the application that needs measurement. We visit and measure every room, then draw the floor plans the council asks for, mark the room sizes, bathrooms, kitchens and facilities, complete the application forms and submit them. There is no separate survey fee because the visit is part of the price.
The council’s licence fee is its own. We cannot quote it, so ask the council for it before you apply.
| Floor plans, forms and submission, measured visit included paid to us | £449 |
|---|---|
| Total | £449 |
Total £449 to Drawings4Planning. The licence fee is paid to the council, separately.
Which houses need a licence?
A house that is occupied by five or more people forming two or more separate households, and that meets the standard HMO tests (Licensing of HMOs Order 2018, art 4). Local councils may have extra licensing rules for smaller HMOs, so the national test is a starting point.
It is an offence to control or manage an HMO that must be licensed but is not, unless a reasonable excuse or a pending application applies (Housing Act 2004, s.72). That is why a complete application matters.
How big must the bedrooms be?
The mandatory licence conditions set minimum room sizes. A bedroom for one person over 10 must be at least 6.51 m² and for two people over 10 at least 10.22 m², and a room under 4.64 m² must not be used for sleeping at all (Mandatory Conditions Regulations 2018, reg 2).
These are floor areas, so they depend on measuring, not on estate-agent plans. Part of a room where the ceiling is under 1.5 m is left out of the calculation, which matters in lofts, so the measured visit records heights as well as walls.
How long does a licence last?
Not more than five years from the date it was granted (Housing Act 2004, s.68). Put the renewal in the diary, because a licensable HMO with no licence is an offence.
If the house is not yet an HMO and you are converting it, the conversion drawings are a different service at £759, which also covers fire layout and building regulations.
Where the figures come from
- 5 persons
- An HMO needs a licence in England where it is occupied by five or more persons in two or more households. Licensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, art 4
- 6.51 m²
- Minimum floor area of a bedroom for one person over 10. Mandatory Conditions of Licences Regulations 2018, reg 2
- 10.22 m²
- Minimum floor area of a bedroom for two persons over 10. Mandatory Conditions of Licences Regulations 2018, reg 2
- 4.64 m²
- A room under this area may not be used as sleeping accommodation. Mandatory Conditions of Licences Regulations 2018, reg 2
- 5 years
- A licence may not end more than five years after it was granted. Housing Act 2004, s.68(4)
- Offence
- Managing a licensable HMO without a licence is an offence, subject to the defences in the section. Housing Act 2004, s.72
HMO licence pack cost questions
Is the council licence fee included?
No. We charge £449 for the plans, forms and submission. The council sets its own licence fee, and it is paid to the council.
Do I pay a survey fee as well?
No. The measured visit is part of the £449, so the £150 survey that sits inside our other drawing prices is not added.
What if a room is too small?
Then it cannot be used as a bedroom of that size. We flag it on the plans, and you can decide whether to change the layout before the council sees it.
Source: Mandatory Conditions of Licences Regulations 2018, reg 2
Do you handle the renewal?
Yes, we can prepare a renewal application. We confirm what is needed, including whether a fresh visit is required, before you pay.
Full details of the service: HMO licence application pack.
