In Lincolnshire, as everywhere in England, a house with five or more people forming two or more households needs a mandatory HMO licence. Some councils go further with additional licensing or Article 4 directions, as the table shows.
We plan each HMO safety certificate job in Lincolnshire around the local council's amenity standards, which set out kitchen, bathroom and room-size requirements for shared houses.
HMO rules across Lincolnshire's councils
| Council | Additional licensing | Selective licensing | Article 4 (small HMOs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Borough Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| East Lindsey District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| City of Lincoln Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | In force Whole city, since 1 March 2016 |
| North Kesteven District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| South Holland District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| South Kesteven District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| West Lindsey District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
Checked October 2026. Mandatory licensing for five or more people applies in every council. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for the address before work starts.
Councils in Lincolnshire where we found an Article 4 direction for small HMOs in force, in all or part of their area: City of Lincoln Council. We found no additional licensing schemes in force that we could confirm, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for.
How we handle HMO safety certificate work in Lincolnshire
Landlords in Lincolnshire need the same core certificates as anywhere in England: an annual gas safety record, an EICR at least every 5 years and working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Licence conditions often add fire alarm and emergency lighting servicing to the list.
We arrange checks for HMOs in Lincolnshire, book them before they fall due and keep every date in a compliance diary. Where a report needs remedial work, we quote for it straight away so deadlines are met.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm checks and replacements
- EICRs by qualified electricians, at least every 5 years
- Fire alarm and emergency lighting servicing certificates
- Compliance diary with every due date in one place
- Remedial electrical work quoted to meet the 28-day deadline
