Key takeaways
- Our fixed fee for the application pack is £479, with no VAT to add. The council's licence fee is separate.
- A licence is mandatory for an HMO occupied by five or more persons living in two or more separate householdsLicensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, article 4.
- Every licensable HMO must hold one: every HMO to which the licensing part of the Housing Act 2004 applies must be licensedHousing Act 2004, section 61.
- Letting without one is an offence: an offence is committed by the person having control of or managing an HMO that is required to be licensed and is notHousing Act 2004, section 72.
- Bedrooms must meet minimum sizes: 6.51 m² for one person over 10, 10.22 m² for two over 10, 4.64 m² for a child under 10Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, regulation 2.
What the pack costs, and what the council charges
Our fee is £479. For that we draw the licence floor plans, with every room, its use and its area marked, complete the council's form with you and submit the pack. See our HMO licence application page for the full list.
The council's licence fee is a separate charge, set by each borough, and paid to the council with the application. We tell you where to find your borough's current fee at the start, because it varies and changes.
Who needs a licence
The national rule is about numbers: a licence is mandatory for an HMO occupied by five or more persons living in two or more separate householdsLicensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, article 4. Some councils also run additional or selective licensing schemes that catch smaller shared houses, so check your own borough.
The law then says what follows: every HMO to which the licensing part of the Housing Act 2004 applies must be licensedHousing Act 2004, section 61. A licence also caps the occupation: a licence authorises occupation by not more than a maximum number of households or personsHousing Act 2004, section 61(2). So the layout decides how many tenants can lawfully be let to.
What an unlicensed let risks
The Housing Act is direct: an offence is committed by the person having control of or managing an HMO that is required to be licensed and is notHousing Act 2004, section 72.
That makes the application one of the cheaper protections a landlord can buy. It is much easier to apply before the first rent than to regularise after a complaint.
What the council wants to see
The core of the application is the floor plan. Councils check every sleeping room against the minimum size: 6.51 m² for one person over 10, 10.22 m² for two over 10, 4.64 m² for a child under 10Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, regulation 2. A plan that shows the room areas, the uses, the kitchens and bathrooms and the escape route answers most of the council's questions before they are asked.
That is why we measure the house ourselves before drawing. An area worked out from an estate agent's brochure can be wrong by enough to move a room from licensed to unlicensed.
Where fire safety fits
A licence application also shows the fire precautions. For some houses a drawn fire strategy plan, from £429, helps to show the escape route. If you are converting the house first, see our HMO conversion drawings, and our post on HMO conversion costs.
If the council asks for changes to the plans, we revise them as part of the pack.
The figures, with sources
- HMOs that need a mandatory licence
- occupied by five or more persons living in two or more separate householdsLicensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, article 4Checked 25 October 2026
- Requirement to be licensed
- every HMO to which the licensing part of the Housing Act 2004 applies must be licensedHousing Act 2004, section 61Checked 25 October 2026
- Offence of operating an unlicensed HMO
- an offence is committed by the person having control of or managing an HMO that is required to be licensed and is notHousing Act 2004, section 72Checked 25 October 2026
- Minimum sleeping room sizes in a licensed HMO
- 6.51 m² for one person over 10, 10.22 m² for two over 10, 4.64 m² for a child under 10Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, regulation 2Checked 25 October 2026
- Maximum occupation
- a licence authorises occupation by not more than a maximum number of households or personsHousing Act 2004, section 61(2)Checked 25 October 2026
Questions
Does the price include the council's licence fee?
No. The council's fee is set by each borough and paid to the council with the application. Ours is £479, with no VAT to add.
Do I need a licence for four tenants?
Not under the national mandatory rule, which starts at five. But your borough may have an additional or selective licensing scheme. We check this at the constraints check.
How long does the licence last?
The council's licence sets its own term and conditions. We read it with you when it is issued, and tell you what the conditions require.
Can I apply before I convert the house?
The council normally licenses the house as it stands, so it is usual to finish the layout first, or to apply for the licence from the approved plans. We advise on the order.
Header photo: A flat-fronted Victorian house of 1898 in brick and stone with arched sash windows and a bay by sludgegulper, CC BY-SA 2.0.
