DIY InventoryLetting a property in Cambridge: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Cambridge.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Cambridge
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. A council feasibility study concluded selective licensing was not an appropriate tool for Cambridge at that time.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme. Larger HMOs (five or more people from more than one household) need a mandatory licence, as everywhere in England; the city has several hundred licensed HMOs.
- Fees: £1,133 for a mandatory HMO licence, or £1,000 when renewing at least eight weeks before the current licence expires (applications from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027)
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Cambridge City Council.
Cambridge City Council: private renting and licensing
Safety certificates
- Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
- EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Cambridge at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.
Deposits and the inventory
Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.
What to record in Cambridge homes
- Shared houses in Romsey and Petersfield: photograph each bedroom's lock and door, the fire doors, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen separately.
- Victorian terraces: check sash or replacement windows, chimney breasts and any damp or mould in rear extensions and bathrooms.
- New-build flats around the station, Trumpington and Eddington: record fob and key counts, bike store access, the post box and any snagging marks.
- Bicycles are everywhere: photograph bike sheds, racks and gates and note anything left behind at check-out.
- Furnished student and professional lets: list and photograph every item of furniture, with mattress condition and labels.
- Homes near the Cam and its streams: photograph ground-floor rooms and gardens for signs of damp or past flooding.
Homes sold in Cambridge in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 327 | £555,141 |
| Flat or maisonette | 242 | £328,886 |
| Semi-detached | 183 | £617,665 |
| Detached | 85 | £1,159,523 |
| Other | 24 | £1,794,735 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Cambridge: questions
Is there selective licensing in Cambridge?
No selective licensing scheme. A council feasibility study concluded selective licensing was not an appropriate tool for Cambridge at that time. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Cambridge?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Cambridge?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.