# Licensing in New Forest > New Forest 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: E07000091 - Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/new-forest - API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/new-forest ## Licensing schemes ### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, New Forest fees) - Status: In force (`in_force`) - Area: Whole New Forest District Council area (national scheme). - Fee: Published standard fee: £976. Council 'Private housing' page, Houses in multiple occupation section: 'Currently the licence fee is £976 and is paid in 2 instalments': £317.00 paid on application and £659.00 paid after the draft-licence consultation period and before the full licence is issued. The fee includes the council's costs of managing the HMO scheme; payment by BACS or cheque. One fee is shown for all HMO sizes and no renewal rate or page date is given. This matches the 19 March 2019 Portfolio Holder decision setting £976 (replacing £900). - Who needs one: HMOs occupied by five or more people forming two or more households who share or lack basic amenities, regardless of storeys (national test as described in the council's 2019 fee report). - Apply: https://www.newforest.gov.uk/media/1318/Application-for-mandatory-licensing-HMO/pdf/Application_for_mandatory_licensing_HMO_09.2020.pdf?m=1608304815573 - Confidence: High - How we checked this: The council's Private housing page says a landlord of an HMO with 5 or more unrelated persons in 2 or more households 'must make an application to us', using the PDF application form (one per HMO) or by contacting the Private Sector Housing Team (privatesectorhousing@nfdc.gov.uk, 023 8028 5151); it also sets minimum room sizes for licensed HMOs. A GOV.UK application route also exists. Licence length is not stated on the page; the 2023 Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy says licences 'normally cover a period of three to five years'. A search of the council's committee site for "selective licensing" returned only a 2006 Cabinet item and "article 4" HMO returned nothing. - Sources: https://www.newforest.gov.uk/article/999/Private-housing, https://democracy.newforest.gov.uk/documents/s11091/New Houses in Multiple Occupation Licence Application Fee.pdf, https://democracy.newforest.gov.uk/documents/s9532/Private Sector Housing - Multiple Occupation Licensing Fees and Charges.pdf, https://democracy.newforest.gov.uk/documents/s26008/Appendix%201%20-%20Private%20Sector%20Housing%20Enforcement%20Policy.pdf, https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-a-licence/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence/new-forest/apply-1 ## Article 4 for house shares Not yet confirmed: whether New Forest has an Article 4 direction on house shares. Council source: https://www.planning.data.gov.uk/entity/?dataset=article-4-direction-area&geometry_curie=statistical-geography:E07000091 ## Civil penalty policy The council's policy sets how it decides the size of a fine. The version we found has not been updated for the Renters' Rights Act. Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy considered by Cabinet on 7 June 2023 (after Housing and Homelessness Overview and Scrutiny Panel, 15 March 2023). It describes civil penalties 'of up to £30,000' as an alternative to prosecution, including for HMO (s.72) and Part 3 (s.95) licensing offences, imposed in accordance with a separate Statement of Principles; no penalty matrix was retrieved. No policy updated for the Renters' Rights Act 2025 was found in a search of the council's committee site. The council's Private housing page links the same Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy (PDF uploaded December 2023). Policy: https://democracy.newforest.gov.uk/documents/s26008/Appendix%201%20-%20Private%20Sector%20Housing%20Enforcement%20Policy.pdf ## Consultations We found no consultations when we researched New Forest. ## Not yet confirmed We could not settle these points when we researched New Forest on 26 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them. - Confirm the HMO licence length; the Private housing page does not state it and the 2023 enforcement policy says three to five years. - Confirm whether the council has adopted a civil penalty policy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 (none found on the Private housing page or in committee-site searches) and obtain its Statement of Principles/matrix. - No selective or additional licensing scheme, proposal or consultation was found on the council's Private housing page or in committee-site searches; the council does not state the absence. - Article 4: whether New Forest has an HMO (C3 to C4) Article 4 direction is not confirmed. Checked: planning.data.gov.uk (New Forest District Council direction areas, none removing the C3 to C4 right) and a committee search; no council list of its Article 4 directions was read. None was found, but absence is inferred, not stated by the council; confirm with its planning team. ## Landlord register The national landlord register is separate from licensing. New Forest 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 --- From Lettance: https://lettance.com/councils/new-forest (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.