DIY InventoryLetting a property in Tunbridge Wells: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Tunbridge Wells.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Tunbridge Wells
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme found; mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with five or more people in two or more households, and every HMO must meet the council's HMO standards.
- Fees: £813 for a new HMO licence for 5 to 7 occupants, £908 for 8 or more (£701 and £748 to renew)
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
Tunbridge Wells Borough 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 Tunbridge Wells 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 Tunbridge Wells homes
- Regency and Victorian flat conversions in the town centre: note shared hallways, fire doors, meter cupboards and keys for each door.
- Period homes: photograph sash windows, cornicing, fireplaces and any damp in basements or lower ground floors.
- Weatherboarded and timber-framed houses in Cranbrook and Hawkhurst: check the boarding, beams and any rot or insect damage.
- Rural homes off the gas grid: record the oil tank or LPG supply, fuel level and boiler service label.
- Homes near the Medway and its streams in Paddock Wood: check ground floors and walls for damp or past flood marks.
Homes sold in Tunbridge Wells in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | 316 | £522,407 |
| Flat or maisonette | 279 | £292,317 |
| Terraced | 256 | £427,477 |
| Detached | 242 | £831,020 |
| Other | 59 | £948,955 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Tunbridge Wells: questions
Is there selective licensing in Tunbridge Wells?
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 Tunbridge Wells?
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 Tunbridge Wells?
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.
Ready when you have the keys
Do your Tunbridge Wells check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
Start free