Hayling Island Beach Huts: Renting, Licences & Waiting List
Havant Borough Council owns 58 of the beach huts on Hayling Island seafront and licenses 320 private ones. The council-owned waiting list is currently frozen.
Havant Borough Council rents 58 beach huts on Hayling Island seafront, 1 April to 31 March: £1,747.32 for residents and £2,367.48 for non-residents in 2026-27. The waiting list is frozen to new applications, and existing applicants should expect at least five years. Contact HBCbeachhuts@havant.gov.uk.
How many beach huts there are
According to Havant Borough Council's beach huts page, there are 58 council-owned beach huts and 320 privately owned beach huts along Hayling Island seafront. The council also provides three accessible huts, reserved for people with mobility needs who qualify for a Blue Badge, or their direct dependants.
Renting a council-owned hut
Council huts are rented annually, 1 April to 31 March. The council does not offer short-term rents by the day, week or month. Fees for 2026-27 are:
- Resident: £1,747.32 a year
- Non-resident: £2,367.48 a year
Pro rata fees are available. To get the resident rate, proof of residence in the Borough of Havant is needed each year, and no more than two people can be named on a licence; both must live in the borough or the non-resident fee applies.
The waiting list is frozen
The council says its waiting list for council-owned huts is temporarily frozen and it is not accepting new applications. People already on the list should expect to wait at least five years. When a hut comes up, the person at the top of the list (ordered by application date) gets an offer and has 10 working days to accept or decline. Existing applicants can contact HBCbeachhuts@havant.gov.uk or phone 023 9244 6019.
From 1 September 2026, licences for council-owned huts are granted for a maximum of three years, to keep the waiting list moving. This comes from the council's Beach Hut Policy 2026 to 2029.
Buying a private beach hut
The council says it is not involved in the sale or purchase of private huts and does not put a value on them. Owning one does not give you a long-term right to stay on the seafront: the licence is issued for one year at a time. Licence fees for 2026-27 are £1,038.00 for residents and £1,671.17 for non-residents. When a hut changes hands the buyer pays a transfer fee of £134.91, and the council says processing can take up to 20 working days. If a licence holder dies, next of kin can apply to end and reissue the licence with a death certificate and supporting papers.
The rules
Under the council's policy:
- Huts are for daytime recreational use only, between sunrise and dusk
- No overnight stays, no living in them, no subletting or unauthorised commercial use
- Huts must stay timber, with no uPVC windows or doors
- Alterations beyond the existing footprint must be requested in writing and may need a land licence with annual charges
- Owners of private huts must keep them safe, clean and tidy, and the council can take enforcement action, ending in removal
- Parking permits are not offered with beach huts
- Some huts may be liable for business rates, with possible relief
The licence does not create a tenancy and is personal to the licensee. Fees are not reduced for erosion, storm damage or vandalism.
Contact
Email HBCbeachhuts@havant.gov.uk or phone 023 9244 6019. The council's address is Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX. Read the full Beach Hut Policy. For parking near the huts see our parking guide.
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