# Licensing in Hastings

> Hastings has no selective or additional licensing scheme in force.

- Checked 26 Oct 2026 (researched_at 2026-10-26, verified_at 2026-10-26)
- Region: South East
- ONS code: E07000062
- Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/hastings
- API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/hastings

## Licensing schemes

### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Hastings fees)

- Status: In force (`in_force`)
- Area: The whole of Hastings Borough (national scheme).
- Fee: Published standard fee: £1,262. Council housing licensing page (fetched 26 October 2026; no fee year printed): total / Part 1 / Part 2 by number of units: up to 5 units £1,262 / £638 / £624; 6-10 £1,388 / £702 / £686; 11-15 £1,514 / £766 / £748; 16-20 £1,640 / £829 / £811; 21-25 £1,766 / £893 / £873; 25-30 £1,892 / £957 / £935 (the page's 21-25 and 25-30 bands overlap as written). The page says the same fees apply to new applications and renewals.
- Licence length: 5 years
- Who needs one: HMOs occupied by five or more people forming two or more households who share facilities (national mandatory test).
- Apply: https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/landlord/licensing/hmo-application/hmo-application-forms/
- Confidence: High
- How we checked this: The licensing page says 'Licences can be granted for a maximum of five years', so 5 is the maximum term, not a fixed term. At the time of fetching the page said the standard online application form was unavailable because of system upgrades and temporary forms were in use; documents go to licensingrentedproperty@hastings.gov.uk.
- Sources: https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/landlord/licensing/

## Article 4 for house shares

Hastings has an Article 4 direction on HMOs (shared houses). Turning a family home into a shared house may need planning permission.

- Area: Borough_wide: the council's HMO planning advice page says the Article 4 Direction 'covers the whole town' and removes permitted development rights for changes from a house to an HMO for three to six unrelated people (it does not include uses such as children's homes or care homes). Cabinet decided to make the direction in May 2011 and the 31 October 2011 cabinet report recommended confirmation, effective 2 July 2012. planning.data.gov.uk holds no Article 4 records for Hastings.
- Takes effect: 2 July 2012

Council source: https://www.hastings.gov.uk/planning/advice/hmo

## 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.

Cabinet on 8 June 2026 (item 7, 'Updated Housing Enforcement Policy') approved a Housing Enforcement Policy and a Civil Penalties Policy reflecting the Renters' Rights Act 2025, with delegated authority for later updates (https://hastings.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=5614&Ver=4). The Civil Penalties Policy (final 13 May 2026) sets failure to obtain an HMO licence (s.72(1)) at a £17,000 starting point (landlord-type adjustment £13,600 / £20,400) within the £40,000 statutory maximum. It supersedes the Housing Renewal Enforcement Policy revision 2.0 (January 2020), whose banded matrix ran to £30,000.

Policy: https://hastings.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s59224/Civil%20Penalties%20Policy%20Hastings%20Final%2013.05.26.pdf

## Consultations

We found no consultations when we researched Hastings.

## Not yet confirmed

We could not settle these points when we researched Hastings on 26 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

- Hastings ran a selective licensing scheme in seven wards from 26 October 2015 to 25 October 2020; the Secretary of State refused a replacement six-ward scheme in May 2021 (council news, 28 June 2021). The licensing page still links a 'Proposed New Selective Licensing Scheme' page, which on 26 October 2026 had no content beyond a heading. No new consultation or designation was found on the council site, in web searches or in Cabinet agendas for 2025-2026 (only the June 2026 enforcement and civil penalty policies); the Housing Strategy 2025-2030 consultation report says the council would use licensing where there is an evidence base. Confirm with the council that no new scheme is being prepared.
- The additional HMO licensing designation (Braybrooke, Castle, Central St Leonards and Gensing wards) ended on Wednesday 3 May 2023 per the council's 'Additional HMO licensing ending' FAQs, more than 12 months ago, so it is not recorded as a scheme. Licences issued before then remain valid until expiry and their conditions still apply (https://www.hastings.gov.uk/housing/landlord/licensing/hmo-end).
- The council's licensing page still shows the January 2020 enforcement policy link; the June 2026 Civil Penalties Policy is published only in the Cabinet papers.

## Landlord register

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Hastings 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: https://lettance.com/register

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From Lettance: https://lettance.com/councils/hastings (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.