December 2025

HMO Additional Licensing Scheme Consultation

Oxford City Council is considering the renewal of the Additional HMO Licensing Scheme that requires certain Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Oxford to be licensed. The current Additional HMO Licensing Scheme ends in 2026. Before a decision is made about renewing it for a further five years, the Council is asking for views from landlords, letting agents, tenants, residents and anyone with an interest in the private rented sector.

Your feedback will help us understand how the current scheme is working, what impact it has had, and whether any changes are needed for the future. We want to hear from both landlords and tenants so that the new scheme, if approved, is fair, evidence-based and reflects real experiences in Oxford.

Please respond to the consultation using this link Renewal of Additional HMO Licensing Scheme - Oxford City Council - Citizen Space

The consultation is open until the 23rd of January 2026.

Landlord & Agent Forums

Landlord Forum 25 November 

Thank you to the landlords and agents that attended the forums. If you did not attend, please email rrt@oxford.gov.uk to request a copy of the slides.

We plan to have our next forum in Spring 2026 (March or April).

Agent Forum 03 December

Thank you to the landlords and agents that attended the forums. If you did not attend, please email rrt@oxford.gov.uk to request a copy of the slides (please ask for the Agent Forum slides).

We plan to have our next forum in Spring 2026 (March or April).

Christmas collection day changes

Christmas Waste & Recycling

Over Christmas we generate around 30% more waste and most of this can be recycled. In Oxfordshire alone, we generate around 2,500 extra tonnes of waste over the festive period!

Up to 80% of your waste can be recycled. Please try to recycle as much as possible. Extra rubbish that doesn't fit in your green bin or lilac sacks will not be collected.

Please visit our website for more information and advice on recycling.

Recycling at Christmas | Oxford City Council

Christmas Tree Recycling

Around 8 million Christmas trees are sold every year in the UK – that’s enough to stretch end to end from London to the North Pole and back. 

In Oxford, we will collect your real, bare (free from decorations, lights, and tinsel) Christmas trees on your green/brown bin day between Tuesday 13 January and Friday 13 February 2026.

If you live in a flat, or want to recycle your real tree sooner, you can take it to one of our Christmas tree collection points located across the city (details below). These will open from Friday 26 December 2025.

Drop off locations

Christmas tree drop-off locations for your real, bare Christmas trees are as follows:

• Alexandra Tennis Courts, Middle Way, Summertown
• Bury Knowle Park, North Place car park
• Cutteslowe Park, Harbord Road car park
• Florence Park, Cowley
• Long Lane, Littlemore
• Margaret Road Recreation Ground
• Meadow Lane Recreation Ground, Jackdaw Lane
• Oatlands Recreation Ground car park, Ferry Hinksey Road
• South Park, Morrell Avenue
• Sunnymead Recreation Ground, by play area
• Hinksey Park, off Abingdon Road
• Leys Pool and Leisure Centre, Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys

Artificial trees

If you have an artificial tree that can't be reused or donated, drop it off to a recycling centre (Oxfordshire County Council website).

Food Waste Collection changes

Oxford City Council and Oxford Direct Services (ODS) are rolling out food waste recycling to all remaining private flats and shared houses (HMOs). With DEFRA government funding, the service will reach 2,390 households across 139 sites.

Throughout December and January residents will get red outdoor food waste bins, kitchen caddies, liners, and simple guidance. 

Then in February our teams will do door‑to‑door support to help people use the service confidently.

This meets national rules for weekly food waste collections for all households by 31 March 2026. 

If you have tenants in flats or HMOs then please inform them of the changes to food waste collection.

To find out more on food waste, please visit: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/household-waste/food-and-garden-waste

Rent Valuation Office

A Valuation Office Agency (VOA) Rent Officer assesses and determines fair rents for residential properties with a regulated tenancy under the Rent Act 1977. They provide impartial valuations for housing benefit purposes, ensure consistency in rent assessments and collect and maintain accurate rental data to support government housing and welfare policies.

We are a national team of over 100 statutory rent officers, independent and impartial. We work closely with Office for National Statistics and collected data from the Private Rental Sector is used to calculate all three measures of consumer price inflation: 

• the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• the Consumer Prices Index including housing costs (CPIH)
• the Retail Price Index (RPI).

We also provide Department of Work and Pensions with annual LHA percentile figures.

Further information on our role and the importance of our work can be found on Valuation Office Agency Rent Officers - GOV.UK.

Contacts

Single occupancy/family property (Non HMO)

E: rrt@oxford.gov.uk

T: 01865 252211

Selective Licence Applications  E: propertylicensing@oxford.gov.uk

T: 01865 252285

HMO Enquiries 

E: rrt@oxford.gov.uk

T: 01865 252211

HMO Licence Applications  E: hmoapplication@oxford.gov.uk

T: 01865 252307

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