Landlord licence Cornwall: what you need, where, and what it costs

Do you need a landlord licence in Cornwall? Only if you let a large HMO. Cornwall Council doesn't run selective or additional licensing, so an ordinary single-household let doesn't need a council licence, but a property with 5 or more people from 2 or more households sharing facilities does. This page sets out every scheme Cornwall Council currently runs, the fees as published, and how Cornwall's rented housing compares with the rest of England and Wales, using Census 2021 figures. We last re-checked the council's pages on 21 October 2026.

Published 21 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026

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Cornwall landlord licensing at a glance

Scheme	In force?	Where it applies	Dates
Selective licensing	No scheme in force	n/a	n/a
Additional HMO licensing	No scheme in force	n/a	n/a
Mandatory HMO licensing	Yes	Whole of Cornwall	Ongoing; new fees from 1 October 2026

Sources: Cornwall Council pages listed under Sources, checked 21 October 2026.

How big is the private rented sector in Cornwall?

At the 2021 Census, 49,371 of Cornwall's 250,533 households rented privately. That's 19.7% of households, against 20.3% across England and Wales as a whole. By number of privately renting households, Cornwall ranked 7 of the 331 local authorities in England and Wales; by share it ranked 108. For comparison, 165,958 households (66.2%) owned their home and 32,039 (12.8%) rented socially.

Cornwall has the seventh-largest number of privately renting households in England and Wales, largely because it is one of the biggest unitary councils by population. Its private rented share is below the national average, and its licensing is limited to mandatory HMOs, so for most Cornish landlords the key duties are the national ones.

Cornwall HMO licences: who needs one

Cornwall Council says you need a licence if the property has five or more people living there, forming two or more households, who share facilities such as a bathroom, toilet or kitchen. The council defines a household as co-habiting couples, blood-related or foster families, and carers and domestic staff. Student halls managed by the university and buildings owned by public bodies are not classed as HMOs.

New Cornwall HMO fees from 1 October 2026

Following a consultation that closed on 17 July 2026, Cornwall moved to fees based on the number of sleeping rooms from 1 October 2026. It replaced its percentage discount for landlord-organisation membership with a flat £50 reduction, which needs evidence (scheme name and membership number) with the application. There's no reduction for properties the council finds operating without a licence.

Cornwall landlord licence fees

New licences, as published by Cornwall Council: 5 sleeping rooms £1,764 (£717 Part A plus £1,047 Part B); 6 to 8 rooms £1,869 (£717 plus £1,152); 9 or more rooms £1,974 (£717 plus £1,257). Renewals: 5 rooms £1,666; 6 to 8 rooms £1,771; 9 or more rooms £1,876 (each £619 Part A plus the same Part B). Members of landlord organisations get £50 off with evidence.

Do I need a landlord licence in Cornwall? A quick check

Count the people and households living in the property. A household is a single person, or members of the same family living together, including couples.
If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you need a mandatory HMO licence wherever you are in England.
Cornwall has no additional HMO scheme, so HMOs with 3 or 4 people don't need a licence.
Cornwall has no selective licensing, so single-household lets don't need a council licence.
If none of these apply, you don't need a property licence, but every other landlord duty (gas safety, electrical safety, EPC, deposit protection, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms) still does.

Running an unlicensed HMO in Cornwall

Cornwall's licensing is narrow, but it bites where it applies. GOV.UK says renting out an unlicensed HMO can bring an unlimited fine, and Cornwall Council's new fee rules state there's no fee reduction for properties it finds operating without a licence. If you let a five-bedroom house to students in Falmouth or workers in Truro, check the occupancy test before the tenancy starts.

HMO licence conditions in Cornwall

A Cornwall HMO licence usually lasts up to 5 years, the GOV.UK maximum. GOV.UK's standard conditions include sending the council an updated gas safety certificate every year, installing and maintaining smoke alarms and providing electrical safety certificates on request. Cornwall's application also asks for current gas and electrical certificates, so having them ready speeds things up.

Keeping Cornwall licence paperwork in order with Gaffy

Even without selective licensing, Cornish landlords face the same certificate deadlines. Gaffy keeps each property's gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC in a vault with expiry dates flagged, and tenants report repairs through a phone link with photos, which is handy when properties are spread across a large county. Gaffy is £12 a month for up to 5 properties, plus £4 a month for each extra property, with the first month free, and we'll set your properties up for you. We don't apply for licences.

FAQ

Do I need a landlord licence in Cornwall?

Only for an HMO with 5 or more people from 2 or more households sharing facilities. Cornwall has no selective or additional licensing.

How much is an HMO licence in Cornwall?

From 1 October 2026, a new licence is £1,764 for 5 sleeping rooms, £1,869 for 6 to 8, and £1,974 for 9 or more, as published by the council.

Is there a discount for accredited landlords in Cornwall?

Yes, a flat £50 reduction with evidence of membership of a landlord organisation.

What counts as a household in Cornwall?

The council lists co-habiting couples, blood-related or foster families, and carers and domestic staff.

How many people rent privately in Cornwall?

At the 2021 Census, 49,371 households in Cornwall rented privately, 19.7% of all households (ONS, Census 2021 table TS054).

Is this legal advice?

No. It's general information drawn from Cornwall Council's published pages, checked 21 October 2026. Schemes and fees in Cornwall can change, so confirm with the council before you let or apply.

Other landlord rules

Sources

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