Rother licensing schemes in force or approved
We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force on Rother District Council's website as of 28 Sep 2026. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to any HMO with 5 or more people in 2 or more households. Confirm with the council (council page).
Note from our check: only mandatory HMO licensing. register by email
Mandatory HMO licensing in Rother
Whatever the local schemes, a licence is required for any house in multiple occupation let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This rule is national and has applied since 1 October 2018. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence under section 72 of the Housing Act 2004. Read do I need an HMO licence? and how to apply.
Rother HMO licence register
The council's public register of licensed properties: Rother District Council public register. Use it to check whether a property already holds a licence, for example before you buy. Licences do not transfer to a new owner.
Rother Article 4 and HMO planning rules
Official planning data lists 1 HMO Article 4 area for Rother. Inside these areas, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission.
| HMO Article 4 area | In effect from | Document |
|---|
| Rother District Council (Houses in Multiple Occupation, Bexhill, East Sussex) Article 4 Direction, 2011 | 4 Feb 2011 | view |
Licensing and planning are separate. A licence does not give planning permission, and planning permission does not replace a licence. See Article 4 and HMOs.
Tribunal record: rent repayment orders and civil penalties in Rother
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Rother. They show how tenants and the council use enforcement here. Most civil penalties are paid without appeal, so they never reach the tribunal.
| Rent repayment order decisions | 0 (0 in the last 3 years) |
|---|
| Civil penalty appeals | 0 |
|---|
| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 2 |
|---|
If you have let without a licence you needed, read unlicensed property: what to do, rent repayment orders and civil penalties.
Landlord database deadline for Rother
Rother is in the South East region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 Mar 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Jun 2027. The published fee is £65 per property per year. Database registration is separate from council licensing: you may need both. See register your rental property.
Get help with a Rother licence application
We can prepare a licence application for you for a fixed fee; the council's own fee is separate. See pricing for what is included and how we make money. You can also run a full address check on the postcode checker.
Rother licensing: common questions
Is there selective licensing in Rother?
We found no selective licensing scheme on Rother District Council's website as of 28 Sep 2026. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to 5+ people in 2+ households. Confirm with the council.
How much is an HMO licence in Rother?
We did not find a published fee on the council pages we checked. Mandatory HMO licence fees are set by each council, usually in two parts (application and grant). See the council page or our HMO licence cost guide.
Does Rother have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?
Official planning data lists 1 HMO Article 4 area for Rother. Inside these areas, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission.
Where is the Rother HMO licence register?
The council publishes its public register of licences here: Rother District Council register. Councils must keep a register of licences under section 232 of the Housing Act 2004.
Related: selective licensing in England · additional HMO licensing · HMO licence cost · HMO rules · HMO hub
Sources
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.