HMO licensing in Doncaster

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,008, and £939 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Mandatory HMO licence fee (1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027) is £1,008 for a property with up to 5 bedrooms, plus £69 for each additional bedroom above 5. The fee is split into two instalments: a non-refundable Part 1 fee of £200 payable with the application, and the Part 2 balance (£808 for a 5-bedroom property, more for larger HMOs) payable once the council decides to grant the licence. An extra £44 charge applies if additional correspondence/chasing is needed to process the application, and a £50 late payment fee applies if the Part 2 balance is not paid within 14 days of the grant decision. Renewal applications are charged at £939 for up to 5 bedrooms, plus £69 per additional bedroom, under the same two-part payment structure. The fee covers a licence valid for up to 5 years for the property as specified (occupant/bedroom numbers stated on the licence). Separately, the Hexthorpe selective licensing designation charges its own fee (Part 1 £200 non-refundable application fee, Part 2 £400 pro-rata grant fee in year one, reducing on a sliding scale in later years of the 5-year designation, with a £50 discount for accredited landlord association members) - this is not included in the figures above, which relate only to mandatory HMO licensing.

Check the current fee on the council website (doncaster.gov.uk) before you apply.

Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.

National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.

• A working smoke alarm must be installed on every storey containing a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation (Standard Condition 4).
• A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker (Standard Condition 5).
• Fire detection grade (D or A) and coverage (LD2/LD3) depend on the HMO's category, number of storeys, whether cooking facilities are within individual units, and whether bedroom doors have locks - larger/higher-risk HMOs need mains-powered, interlinked Grade A systems with a control panel and call points (Doncaster HMO Standards, revised Sept 2023).
• Protected means of escape (walls, floors, ceilings, doorsets) must provide at least 30 minutes' fire resistance, rising to 60 minutes where separating commercial and residential areas.
• Escape routes must be kept free of obstructions and flammable materials; any locks on doors along escape routes must open from the inside without a key.
• A fire blanket must be fitted in every kitchen, positioned away from directly above or opposite the cooker/hob.
• Landlords/managing agents, as 'responsible persons', must carry out a Fire Risk Assessment and keep all fire detection, equipment and emergency lighting routinely tested and serviced, in line with BS 5839 Part 6.

• Bathroom/WC provision scales with occupancy: 1-4 persons need at least 1 bathroom and 1 WC with wash-hand basin (can be combined); 5 persons need 1 bathroom plus 1 separate WC; 6-10 persons need 2 bathrooms and 2 separate WCs; 11-15 persons need 3 bathrooms and 3 separate WCs (Doncaster HMO Standards, revised Sept 2023).
• Shared kitchens need at least 1 cooker (4 rings/hotplates, oven and grill) and 1 sink (min. 500mm x 600mm with drainer) per 5 persons sharing, plus specified worktop space, electrical sockets and refrigerated/freezer storage per person.
• Fixed heating must maintain 21°C in habitable rooms and bathrooms, and 18°C in hallways/corridors, when it is -1°C outside; portable paraffin, oil-fired or LPG heaters are not permitted.
• Minimum electrical socket provision applies per room (e.g. 4 sockets in bedrooms and living rooms, 6 in bedrooms containing living space), separate from sockets already used by fixed appliances.
• The council issues one 240-litre wheeled bin per HMO/self-contained flat, with a recommended minimum of 120 litres of waste capacity per resident; licence holders must actively manage bin storage and waste collection (Standard Condition 11).

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Where gas is supplied, a current Gas Safe registered engineer's certificate must be produced to the council annually, dated within the last 12 months (Standard Condition 1).
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report confirming the electrical installation is safe, required at least every 5 years (or sooner if the report specifies), per the Electrical Safety Standards regulations referenced in Doncaster's HMO Standards guidance.
• EPC — A valid Energy Performance Certificate rated E or above is required under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) regulations, unless a registered exemption applies.

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Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Doncaster Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.