Portsmouth: landlord licensing
Portsmouth operates discretionary property licensing. Here is what is in force, what is coming, and how to check whether your property is affected.
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Active additional (HMO) licensing
Additional licensing extends HMO licensing to smaller shared houses (typically 3-4 sharers) that fall below the mandatory threshold.
Additional (HMO) licensing
activeCitywide; all HMOs with 3-4 occupants forming 2+ households, incl. s257/flat-in-block HMOs
- Dates
- 1 Sept 2023 – 31 Aug 2028
- Approx. fee
- £886 (5yr) new application
Official local authority licensing designation
Mandatory HMO licensing (applies everywhere)
Regardless of local schemes, any property in Portsmouth let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households, who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, needs a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. Licences last up to 5 years and the fee is set by the council.
Penalties for operating unlicensed
- Civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence (raised from £30,000 on 1 May 2026).
- Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent, claimable by the tenant.
- Unlimited fine on criminal prosecution, plus possible banning order.
- Once the national PRS Database is live, unregistered landlords can be blocked from regaining possession.
Notes
No selective scheme. End date is the 5-year term.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a landlord licence in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth operates 1 additional (HMO) licensing scheme(s). Whether your specific property needs a licence depends on its exact location and how it is let. Separately, mandatory HMO licensing still applies, to any property let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households.
What is the penalty for an unlicensed property in Portsmouth?
Operating a licensable property without a licence can lead to a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence, a Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent, an unlimited fine on prosecution, and a banning order for serious or repeat offenders.
Can a tenant in Portsmouth claim rent back from an unlicensed landlord?
Yes. Letting a property that required a licence, without one, is an offence under section 72(1) or section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004, and a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026. No conviction is needed first, but the tribunal must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offence was committed, and the application must be made within two years of it. Tribunals award a percentage of the rent rather than the maximum, following the method in Acheampong v Roman [2022] UKUT 239 (LC).
Does your property need a licence?
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Renting in Portsmouth?
If your home needed a licence and did not have one, you may be able to claim rent back
A Rent Repayment Order can be up to 24 months' rent, you apply to the tribunal yourself, and your landlord does not need to have been prosecuted. The deadline is two years from the offence.
🏛️ Government-backed data: built from official local authority licensing designations, ONS council boundaries and UK housing legislation (Housing Act 2004), verified as of July 2026. PRSCheck is an information service, not legal advice. Many schemes are designated at street or part-ward level; the paid report confirms the exact boundary and official source for your address. Browse all councils.