DIY InventoryLetting a property in New Forest: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in New Forest.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in New Forest
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only the national mandatory licence for HMOs with five or more unrelated people forming two or more households.
- Fees: £976 for an HMO licence, paid as £317 on application and £659 before the full licence is issued
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: New Forest District Council.
New Forest District 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 New Forest 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 New Forest homes
- Coastal homes in Lymington, Milford on Sea and Barton: photograph salt-pitted metal, window seals and any damp on seaward walls.
- Forest cottages and thatched homes: record the thatch where visible, beams, wood burners and flues, and damp in solid walls.
- Rural homes off mains gas: photograph the oil tank, its gauge level and the boiler service label.
- Homes in the Avon valley near Ringwood and Fordingbridge: note any signs of past flooding on floors and lower walls.
- Homes with forest grazing outside: record gates, cattle grids, fences and gardens, as ponies and cattle roam the open forest.
Homes sold in New Forest in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 793 | £622,414 |
| Semi-detached | 423 | £380,846 |
| Terraced | 358 | £317,969 |
| Flat or maisonette | 272 | £224,167 |
| Other | 60 | £565,365 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in New Forest: questions
Is there selective licensing in New Forest?
No selective licensing scheme. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in New Forest?
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 New Forest?
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.