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Nottingham

Nottingham is a strict HMO regime — planning permission likely required.

High friction
Structured ruleset

What applies in Nottingham

Mandatory licensing
Yes — 5+ tenants
Additional licensing
Yes
Designated Additional Licensing Scheme in force covering all HMOs not caught by mandatory licensing.
Selective licensing
Yes
Significant selective licensing footprint across the city — verify postcode against the designation map.
Article 4 direction
Borough-wide
Article 4 direction in force across Nottingham — C3 → C4 conversions require planning permission.
Min single bedroom
8 m²
Council-specific minimum exceeds the national HMO Mgmt Regs 2018 floor.
Min double bedroom
12 m²
Amenity ratio
1 WC / 5 · 1 kitchen / 5

Indicative 5-person HMO licence fee: £1,140 · subject to change — verify against the council page.

Nottingham is one of the strictest UK HMO regimes. Bedroom minima are tiered by whether dining/cooking happens in the bedroom (8 m² with dining elsewhere → 14 m² when cooking facilities are in the room). Bathing tier table steps at 6 persons (1 WC → 2 WCs). Guidance refreshed September 2025. See docs/councils/nottingham.md.

Open council HMO page ↗Last reviewed 2026-05-13LAD E06000018Data quality: verified
Default risk signals

What you should plan for in Nottingham

red

Article 4 direction applies borough-wide

planning

Permitted development rights from C3 (dwelling) to C4 (small HMO) are removed across the council area. Any change of use to a 3–6 person HMO will require a full planning application.

amber

Additional licensing scheme in force

licensing

HMOs smaller than 5 occupants may still require a licence under the additional licensing scheme, covering the entire council area.

amber

Selective licensing scheme in force

licensing

Selective licensing requires all rented properties (including non-HMO) in designated areas to hold a licence. Verify the address sits inside or outside the designation.

amber

Mandatory HMO licensing applies nationally

licensing

Any HMO occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households requires a mandatory HMO licence from the council. Fines for unlicensed operation can exceed £30,000.

amber

Minimum bedroom: 8 m² single / 12 m² double

space

Nottingham sets a council-specific minimum room size above the national HMO Mgmt Regs 2018 floor. Plans must meet the higher local standard.

green

Amenity ratio: 1 WC per 5 · 1 kitchen per 5

amenity

These ratios are the council's expected baseline. Larger HMOs may need additional bathrooms and kitchen facilities — plan for at least one bathroom per 4–5 tenants in 6-bed schemes.

amber

Nottingham HMO SPD requires a separate communal living room

space

Council policy mandates either a dedicated living room (≥10 m² for 3-5 persons, ≥12 m² for 6+), OR a combined living space ≥27 m² (3-5) / ≥33 m² (6+). Upload your floor plan to verify your layout meets this.

Representative case in Nottingham

5-bed HMO conversion · Radford, Nottingham

Licensed and tenanted as a working-professional HMO. Nottingham's stricter standards required council-specific bedroom minima.

Bedrooms 35Acquisition £165kConversion £71kGross yield 10.4%
All case studies →
Check your specific address

See exactly which rules apply.

Enter your candidate postcode in Nottingham (or anywhere else in the UK) and we’ll surface the precise licensing and Article 4 status that applies to that address.