When does Medway's landlord licensing start?

You can apply for selective and additional licences online from 4 January 2027. Both schemes run until 3 January 2032.

Which areas of Medway need a selective licence?

Seven wards: Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North, Gillingham South, Luton, Strood North & Frindsbury, and Watling.

How much is a Medway selective licence?

£840 per property, paid as £436 when you apply and £404 once the licence is approved. Discounts are available for accredited landlords, for landlords licensing several properties, and for charities.

Does a shared house with three tenants need a licence in Medway?

Yes, if it’s in one of the six additional licensing wards and the tenants are from more than one household. The fee is £1,600. Shared houses with five or more people need a mandatory licence anywhere in Medway.

Do I need planning permission to rent my house as an HMO in Medway?

In the seven selective wards, yes. Since 22 January 2026, an Article 4 direction means turning a family home into a small HMO needs planning permission there.

Letting a Home in Medway: Licensing and Rules

Medway Council is bringing in two new licensing schemes for private rented homes. You can apply from 4 January 2027. If you let a home in Chatham, Gillingham, Luton, Strood North or Watling, you're likely to need a licence. This guide covers which wards are included, the fees, the planning rule for shared houses and the checks every rental needs.

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Last checked 5 November 2026. General information for landlords in England, not legal advice.

Which wards need a licence

Ward	Selective licence (single household or two sharers)	Additional licence (shared house, 3 or 4 people)
Chatham Central & Brompton	Yes	Yes
Fort Pitt	Yes	Yes
Gillingham North	Yes	Yes
Gillingham South	Yes	Yes
Luton	Yes	Yes
Watling	Yes	Yes
Strood North & Frindsbury	Yes	No

Chatham Central & Brompton

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Fort Pitt

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Gillingham North

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Gillingham South

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Luton

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Watling

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: Yes

Strood North & Frindsbury

Selective licence: Yes

Additional licence: No

Both schemes run from 4 January 2027 until 3 January 2032. Not sure which ward you're in? Check your address on the council's licensing page.

Medway Council: property licensing

Selective licensing

Selective licensing covers private rented homes let to one household or to two sharers in the seven wards above.

•Fee: £840 per property, paid in two parts: £436 when you apply and £404 once the licence is approved.
•Discounts on the fee:£105 off if you license several properties, £84 off if you're an accredited landlord, and £210 off for charities.
•Length: up to five years, until the scheme ends.

Additional HMO licensing

Additional licensing covers shared houses with three or four people from more than one household, in six wards: every selective ward except Strood North & Frindsbury.

•Fee: £1,600 per property, paid in two parts: £830 when you apply and £770 once the licence is approved.
•Discounts on the fee:£200 off if you license several properties, £160 off if you're an accredited landlord, and £400 off for charities.

Larger shared housesneed a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Medway, as across England: that means houses with five or more people forming two or more households. Check the council's HMO page for the current mandatory licence fee.

Planning permission for new shared houses

Since 22 January 2026, you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small shared house (an HMO for three to six people) in the same seven wards. The rule is an Article 4 direction, and the council confirmed it on 5 May 2026. A licence isn't planning permission, so check both before you convert.

Medway Council: Article 4 directions

Why Medway is doing this

The council's evidence for the schemes found:

•Private renting grew from 18% of Medway's homes in 2011 to 23.2% in 2024.
•Medway has an estimated 1,018 shared houses.
•About 2,458 private rented homes in the selective wards are estimated to have at least one serious hazard.

In the consultation, 56% of respondents agreed with additional licensing and 50% with selective licensing.

The checks every Medway rental still needs

Licensing comes on top of the checks every landlord in England already needs:

•a yearly gas safety check
•an electrical inspection at least every five years
•a valid EPC rated E or above
•working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
•deposit protection

Since 1 May 2026, councils can fine up to £40,000 for licensing offences.

England's new landlord register opens region by region from 15 December 2026, subject to Parliament approving the regulations. In the South East, which includes Medway, landlords must register from 15 March 2027, with a deadline of 14 June 2027.

Keep every Medway certificate in one place

A licence application asks for your safety certificates. Home+ keeps each property's gas safety record, electrical report and EPC with its date, and reminds you before each one is due.

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Frequently asked questions

Sources

Medway Council: property licensing; HMOs; Article 4 directions; the consultation evidence for the additional and selective licensing proposals (2026)
GOV.UK: HMO licences; the landlord register
legislation.gov.uk: the Housing Act 2004, Parts 2 and 3

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