DIY InventoryLetting a property in Herefordshire: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Herefordshire.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Herefordshire
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme could be found on the council's pages.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: the county's earlier additional scheme ended in April 2009. Mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities.
- Fees: £1,404 for a five-year HMO licence from 1 April 2026, with discounts for accredited landlords and renewals
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Herefordshire Council.
Herefordshire 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 Herefordshire 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 Herefordshire homes
- Rural cottages off the gas network: photograph the oil tank and its gauge, the boiler or wood burner, and any septic tank or private water supply.
- Timber-framed houses in Ledbury, Leominster and the villages: record beams, uneven floors, low doorways and any cracks in infill panels.
- Homes near the Wye and the Lugg: look for signs of past flooding or damp in ground-floor rooms, as these rivers flood often.
- Victorian terraces in Hereford: check for damp at the base of walls and in rear kitchens, and photograph yards and rear access.
- Stone cottages in the hills: photograph chimneys, slate roofs, deep window sills and any damp patches on thick walls.
Letting in Herefordshire: questions
Is there selective licensing in Herefordshire?
No selective licensing scheme could be found on the council's pages. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Herefordshire?
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 Herefordshire?
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.
Nearby areas
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Do your Herefordshire check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
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