HMO Management in Kensington and Chelsea, London

Room demand in Kensington and Chelsea (W8) comes from the same people who already rent here: professionals, international tenants and corporate lets. Kensington and Chelsea is one of the most expensive boroughs in London, with rents significantly above the London average across most of its streets, reflecting its central location, its stucco-fronted garden squares and its long-established reputation as a residential area for professionals and families with the means to pay for it. For a house share, that decides whether rooms fill: how quickly each tenant gets to work or study, and how well the shared kitchen, bathrooms and fire safety are kept.

Any house in Kensington and Chelsea let to five or more people from two or more households needs a mandatory HMO licence from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The fee is set by the council. Before turning a family home into an HMO, check with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea whether an Article 4 direction covers the street, as that would mean a planning application. The council also runs additional HMO licensing for smaller shared homes; the fee and dates are on our licensing page. An agent that collects the rent is legally the person managing the HMO, so Caso checks the licence and the 2006 HMO Management Regulations before taking a property on.

Take a 5 room house share at the Greater London average room rent of £932 a month. The rent comes to £4,660 a month. A typical HMO management fee of 12% would be £559 a month; Caso at 9% is £419, a saving of £140 a month or £1,678 a year, all plus VAT. With three or more HMOs the Caso rate is 7%.

Caso manages each room as its own let, room by room: rent collected and arrears chased, four inspections a year, fire safety and certificate dates tracked, and the licence conditions kept. Tenants report repairs through a 24 hour maintenance line, and you get one monthly statement for the whole house.

You keep the HMO licence in your own name, with Caso named as manager. We are your managing agent only, so there is no rent-to-rent and no guaranteed rent. Rooms are filled through a local room-let agent at their fee, agreed with you first, with nothing added by Caso.

Average room rent in Greater London, which covers Kensington and Chelsea: £932 a month

Mean advertised room rent including bills, SpareRoom Rental Index, Q3 2026.

Worked example. Kensington and Chelsea, 5 rooms at £932: rent £4,660 a month; typical agent at 12% £559; Caso at 9% £419; saving £140 a month, £1,678 a year. All fees plus VAT.

HMO licence preparation is £350 plus VAT plus the council fee. Check-in is £65 and check-out £50 a room, plus VAT. No setup, renewal or exit fees. See all Caso pricing.

A mandatory HMO licence is needed when five or more people from two or more households share a home.

Cost. The mandatory HMO licence fee is set by the council: the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea publishes the current fee on its HMO licensing page.

Planning. Before turning a family home into an HMO, check with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea whether an Article 4 direction covers the street, as that would mean a planning application.

Additional HMO licensing. The council runs an additional HMO licensing scheme for smaller shared homes. The fee and dates are on our licensing page.

How to check and apply. Apply to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea before the first tenancy starts. HMO licences on GOV.UK.

An agent that collects the rent is legally the person managing the HMO, so Caso checks the licence and the 2006 HMO Management Regulations before taking a property on.

Landlord licensing schemes by council

You hold the HMO licence and Caso is named on it as manager.

Caso is your managing agent only. We do not do rent-to-rent and we do not offer guaranteed rent.

Tenant finding is through a local room-let agent at their fee, agreed with you first. Caso adds nothing to it.

Before we start, we check:

• The HMO licence, or the licence application
• A fire risk assessment
• Gas safety certificate
• Electrical installation report (EICR)
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates
• Room sizes for every bedroom