Slough article 4 HMO: licensing schemes, fees and enforcement

We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force in Slough on the council's website as of 28 Sep 2026. 2 new schemes are being consulted on or awaiting a decision. Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere in England to HMOs with 5 or more people in 2 or more households.

Selective: proposedAdditional HMO: proposedMandatory HMO: alwaysChecked 28 Sep 2026

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Slough licensing schemes in force or approved

We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force on Slough Borough 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).

Upcoming: consultations and key dates in Slough

Additional HMO licensing · proposed borough-wide additional HMO licensing

Consultation closed – decision pending
Area coveredWhole council area
Consultation15 Jul 2026 to 23 Sept 2026

Note from our check: previous schemes (additional borough-wide; selective Chalvey & Slough Central) ran 1 Jul 2019-30 Jun 2024 and expired; fees not on council page (NRLA: additional £950 / selective £750)

Checked 28 Sept 2026.

Selective licensing · proposed borough-wide selective licensing

Consultation closed – decision pending
Area coveredWhole council area
Consultation15 Jul 2026 to 23 Sept 2026

Note from our check: previous schemes (additional borough-wide; selective Chalvey & Slough Central) ran 1 Jul 2019-30 Jun 2024 and expired; fees not on council page (NRLA: additional £950 / selective £750)

Checked 28 Sept 2026.

Want a reminder before a deadline? Use the form at the bottom of this page and pick "Email me before my deadlines".

Mandatory HMO licensing in Slough

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.

Slough HMO licence register

The council's public register of licensed properties: Slough Borough 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.

Slough Article 4 and HMO planning rules

Slough does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.

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 Slough

Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Slough. 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 decisions5 (2 in the last 3 years)
Orders made4 (80% of decisions with a known outcome)
Median award£6,500 (last 3 years: £2,134)
Total awarded£27,194
Civil penalty appeals2
Penalty upheld (in full or reduced)100% · confirmed in full 0%
Median penalty: council's notice / after tribunal£47,763 / £41,525

Recent rent repayment order decisions in Slough

DecidedAreaPropertyOffence allegedOutcomeAmountDecision
15 Apr 2026SL3HMOunlicensed HMOOrder made£2,134GOV.UK
17 Jul 2025SL1HMOunlicensed HMO; unlicensed (selective licensing); unlawful eviction / harassmentRefused—GOV.UK
9 Aug 2023SL1House / not statedunlawful eviction / harassmentOrder made£12,061GOV.UK
17 May 2023SL1HMOunlicensed HMO; unlicensed (selective licensing); breach of banning orderOrder made£5,500GOV.UK
12 Dec 2022SL1HMOunlicensed HMO; unlicensed (selective licensing)Order made£7,499GOV.UK

Recent civil penalty appeals in Slough

DecidedAreaOffenceOutcomeCouncil's penaltyAfter tribunalDecision
28 Nov 2025SL2not extractedPenalty varied£17,600£16,500GOV.UK
17 Jun 2025SL1HMO management regulationsPenalty varied£77,925£66,550GOV.UK

Amounts and outcomes are extracted automatically from the decision text and can be wrong; open the decision on GOV.UK for the full reasons. Party names are not shown. Information, not legal advice.

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 Slough

Slough 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 Slough 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.

Help with a Slough licence

We may refer legal matters to an SRA-regulated solicitor and may receive a referral fee; we will tell you before any referral. See how we make money.

Slough licensing: common questions

Is there selective licensing in Slough?

Not yet. We found no selective licensing scheme in force on the council's website as of 28 Sep 2026, but a selective scheme is being consulted on or awaiting a decision (see "Upcoming" above). Confirm with the council.

How much is an HMO licence in Slough?

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 Slough have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?

Slough does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.

Where is the Slough HMO licence register?

The council publishes its public register of licences here: Slough Borough Council register. Councils must keep a register of licences under section 232 of the Housing Act 2004.

How often do landlords in Slough face rent repayment orders or fines?

The First-tier Tribunal has published 5 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Slough (4 with an order made), median award £6,500, and 2 civil penalty appeals. Most penalties are never appealed, so the true number of fines is higher.

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.