Licensing in Cherwell

Cherwell has no selective or additional licensing scheme in force.

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Check an address in Cherwell

We'll match the postcode to its ward and the schemes below.

Licensing, ward by ward

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National rules only16

Current ward boundaries from ONS. Some homes are exempt, so check your postcode and the scheme details below.

Selective licensing: None
Additional HMO licensing: No
Article 4 on house shares: None found
Consultation: None open

Licensing schemes

Mandatory HMO licence
In force
Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Cherwell fees)
Area
The whole of Cherwell District (national scheme).
Fee
Published standard fee: £830
Housing Standards Fees and Charges 2026-27 (from 1 April 2026), paid in two stages (Stage 1 with the application, Stage 2 within 14 days of the draft licence / Intention Notice): A higher-rate new application, where the HMO has been unlicensed for 6 weeks or more, £500 + £840 = £1,340; B standard new application, where the HMO was acquired or became licensable within 6 weeks, or change of licence holder, £500 + £330 = £830; C higher-rate renewal, where there are concerns about management or conditions, £370 + £460 = £830; D standard renewal, valid application made and paid on time with no compliance issues, £370 + £200 = £570. The higher rate also applies if the standard Stage 2 fee is not paid within 14 days. Fees are VAT-exempt. Copy of the HMO register £52.
Who needs one
HMOs occupied by five or more people forming two or more households, other than a purpose-built self-contained flat in a block of three or more self-contained flats (council HMO licensing page).
Apply on the council’s website Licence conditions
How we checked this
The fees page says 'Our HMO licences are generally issued for five years'; the enforcement page says shorter licences may be issued where there are concerns. Applications need a floorplan, the latest gas safety report and a current EICR. HMO Licensing Policy 2024 and HMO Standards Policy 2018 are published on the council's enforcement policies download page.
Sources

Article 4 for house shares

We found no Article 4 direction on house shares in Cherwell.

Council source

Civil penalty policy

The council's policy sets how it decides the size of a fine. The version we found has been updated for the Renters' Rights Act.

'Civil penalties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation', Housing Civil Penalties Policy version 1.1 (July 2026), approved by Executive on 16 June 2026 with version 1.1 approved on 27 July 2026. Failure to obtain an HMO licence (s.72(1)) has a £17,000 starting point (landlord-type adjustment £13,600 down / £20,400 up) within the £40,000 statutory maximum. The council's penalties page says civil penalties of up to £40,000 can be imposed and the money funds further housing enforcement. A Housing Enforcement Policy v1.1 (July 2026) sits alongside it.

Cherwell's civil penalty policy

Consultations

We found no consultations when we researched Cherwell.

Not yet confirmed

We could not settle these points when we researched Cherwell. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

Not yet confirmed
No selective or additional licensing scheme, proposal or consultation was found on the council's HMO, fees, enforcement or policy-download pages, or in the council's committee document search (modgov.cherwell.gov.uk: 'selective licensing', 'additional licensing', 'article 4 direction HMO', 26 October 2026). A February 2019 Council motion asked the council to periodically review the need for selective licensing; no later proposal was found. Absence is inferred, not stated by the council.

Landlord register

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Cherwell is in South East, where registration is planned from 15 March 2027 to 14 June 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register