News
Additional licensing scheme in Kingston upon Thames has ended
An additional licensing scheme that was introduced in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames on 1 March 2018 has ended after five years.
The additional licensing scheme applied borough wide and was implemented at a time mandatory HMO licensing was restricted to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) comprising three or more storeys and occupied by five or more people.
The additional licensing scheme had extended licensing to:
- all HMOs occupied by five or more people; and
- all HMOs comprising three or more storeys occupied by three or four people.
On 1 October 2018, shortly after the scheme came into force, the mandatory HMO licensing scheme was extended to include most HMOs occupied by five or more people. From that date, the additional licensing scheme was mostly focused on HMOs comprising three or more storeys occupied by three or four people.
Whilst the additional licensing scheme has ended, licences issued under the old scheme remain in force until the expiry date printed on the licence, unless the licence is revoked.
Whilst we do not know how many properties were licensed under the additional licensing scheme, the number of licensed HMOs in Kingston has been steadily reducing over recent years.
In May 2019, the council’s public register of licensed HMOs listed 611 properties. By January 2021, the number had reduced to 513 and by March 2023, the number had reduced again to 430. Over the last four years, the number of licensed HMOs in Kingston has fallen by about a third.
Next steps
Earlier this year, an officer at Kingston upon Thames told London Property Licensing there were no plans in place to replace the additional licensing scheme. The council also has no selective licensing scheme. For the time being only mandatory HMO licensing is in force.
Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is available here.
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