DIY InventoryLetting a property in Oxford: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Oxford.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Oxford
- Selective licensing: Citywide selective licensing for privately rented homes that are not HMOs (family homes and one- or two-person lets), from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2027.
- Additional HMO licensing: Citywide additional HMO licensing, so every HMO in Oxford (three or more people from two or more households) needs a licence; renewed on 25 March 2026, in force from 25 June 2026 to 25 June 2031.
- Fees: £480 for a five-year selective licence at the start of the scheme in 2022 (£280 for accredited landlords); HMO fees are set each year on a cost-recovery basis
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Oxford City Council.
Oxford 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 Oxford 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 Oxford homes
- Licensing: every rented home in Oxford needs a selective or HMO licence, so note the licence number and photograph the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Shared houses in East Oxford and Headington: photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors and closers, alarms and the shared kitchen and bathroom separately.
- Victorian villas split into flats in North Oxford: record communal hallways, meter cupboards, bike stores and the key count for each door.
- Homes near the rivers in Osney, Botley Road and Grandpont: photograph any tide marks, damp low on walls and air bricks, as these areas can flood.
- Small Jericho and East Oxford terraces: record sash windows, damp in rear extensions and the state of tiny back yards and bins.
- Blocks in Blackbird Leys: note fob and key counts, the lift, bin stores and any balcony.
Homes sold in Oxford in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 339 | £548,727 |
| Semi-detached | 295 | £553,406 |
| Flat or maisonette | 226 | £350,209 |
| Detached | 81 | £1,143,953 |
| Other | 40 | £2,805,796 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Oxford: questions
Is there selective licensing in Oxford?
Citywide selective licensing for privately rented homes that are not HMOs (family homes and one- or two-person lets), from 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2027. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Oxford?
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 Oxford?
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.