Letting a property in Kensington and Chelsea: a landlord’s guide

General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.

Landlord licensing in Kensington and Chelsea

• Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme is in force; homes let to a single household do not need a council licence.
• Additional HMO licensing: A borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme came into force on 1 June 2023 and expires on 31 May 2028. It covers most HMOs let to three or more people from two or more households sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet that fall outside mandatory licensing.
• Fees: About £1,493 for an additional HMO licence (Part A £1,004 on application, Part B £489 once approved, plus £72 for each extra room), with a £200 discount for accredited landlords (council HMO licensing FAQs).

Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: 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 Kensington and Chelsea 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 Kensington and Chelsea homes

• Furnished high-value lets: photograph each piece of furniture, rugs, curtains and artwork close up, and record makes of appliances.
• Mansion blocks with porters: note fobs, porter-held keys, post box keys and lift access, and photograph the communal entrance.
• Stucco terraces: photograph the front steps, railings, balconies and any cracked or flaking stucco visible from the flat.
• Mews houses: photograph the garage door, its remote and any cobbled forecourt, and check for damp in ground-floor rooms.
• Garden square access: record the garden key or card and any terms that come with it.
• Basement and lower-ground flats: photograph lightwells, vault storage under the pavement, and walls at floor level for damp.

Start your inventory free

Homes sold in Kensington and Chelsea in the last 12 months

Type	Sales	Average price
Flat or maisonette	793	£1,111,969
Terraced	166	£3,971,146
Other	103	£2,438,827
Semi-detached	12	£10,412,371
Detached	4	£10,150,000

HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.