DIY InventoryLetting a property in Southampton: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Southampton.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Southampton
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: Additional HMO licensing in nine wards from May 2025, for up to five years: Banister and Polygon, Bargate, Bassett, Bevois, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Shirley and Swaythling. It covers smaller HMOs (three or four sharers); larger HMOs anywhere in the city need a mandatory licence.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Southampton City Council.
Southampton 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 Southampton 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 Southampton homes
- Student HMOs in Portswood, Swaythling and Bevois Valley: check the HMO licence and photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen, room by room.
- Victorian terraces: record the back garden, rear access, gutters and any damp in rear rooms and bay windows.
- Apartments in the city centre and Ocean Village: note fob, key and parking counts, the post box and bin store, and any balcony furniture.
- Tower blocks in Weston and Millbrook: photograph fire doors, smoke alarms and any building safety notices in the communal areas.
- Homes near the Itchen and Test estuaries: check window frames and outside metal fittings for salt corrosion, and look for condensation and mould.
Homes sold in Southampton in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Flat or maisonette | 711 | £165,923 |
| Terraced | 587 | £265,796 |
| Semi-detached | 542 | £307,083 |
| Detached | 273 | £417,572 |
| Other | 57 | £980,436 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Southampton: questions
Is there selective licensing in Southampton?
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 Southampton?
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 Southampton?
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
Ready when you have the keys
Do your Southampton check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
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