DIY InventoryLetting a property in Portsmouth: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Portsmouth.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Portsmouth
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: Citywide additional HMO licensing from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2028, covering HMOs of three or four people; larger HMOs need a mandatory licence. Planning rules across the city also restrict new HMOs.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth homes
- Shared houses in Southsea and Fratton: note the HMO licence number and photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors and closers, alarms and the shared kitchen and bathroom separately.
- Seafront homes in Southsea and Eastney: record salt marks, rust on window fittings and damp on exposed walls.
- Victorian terraces with small yards: photograph damp at the base of walls, rear yards and where bins are kept on narrow streets.
- Waterfront apartments at Gunwharf: note fob counts, parking bays and balconies.
- Low-lying streets near the harbours: photograph any damp low on walls and air bricks, as parts of the island can flood.
- Converted Southsea villas split into flats: record communal hallways, meter cupboards and the key count for each door.
Homes sold in Portsmouth in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 1,116 | £275,409 |
| Flat or maisonette | 426 | £174,889 |
| Semi-detached | 239 | £351,123 |
| Detached | 50 | £556,221 |
| Other | 46 | £459,792 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Portsmouth: questions
Is there selective licensing in Portsmouth?
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 Portsmouth?
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 Portsmouth?
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.