Yorkshire and the Humber

HMO licensing in Kirklees

Kirklees Council requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. No additional or selective licensing scheme is currently in force in Kirklees (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £664.

Mandatory licence

5+ people, 2+ households

National scheme

Additional / selective

None in force

Mandatory licensing only

Licence fee

From £664

Decision time

Not published

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Licensing schemes in Kirklees

Kirklees Council operates the national mandatory scheme. We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force or proposed as of September 2026. Councils can introduce one after a public consultation, so it is worth setting an alert.

Licence fees

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £664. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Kirklees charges a single mandatory HMO licence fee banded by bed spaces, covering the full licence term (normally 5 years): £664 for 5–6 bed spaces, £764 for 7–8 bed spaces, and £882 for 9+ bed spaces. The council's fee page does not distinguish a separate renewal rate — the same banded schedule appears to apply to both new applications and renewals. There is no fee for licence variation applications. Applicants are invoiced separately after the online form is completed, rather than paying in fixed instalments at application.

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

Minimum room sizes

Double bedroom	10.2 m² minimum for each double bedroom in a two-or-more-room unit with cooking, living and sleeping facilities elsewhere in the property. In shared accommodation (e.g. student houses), a two-person bedroom/study must be at least 14.9 m². A one-room bedsit-style unit for 2 persons (with its own cooking/living/sleeping facilities) must be at least 18.6 m². (Kirklees Amenity Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation)
Single bedroom	6.5 m² minimum for each single bedroom in a two-or-more-room unit with cooking, living and sleeping facilities elsewhere in the property. In shared accommodation (e.g. student houses), a one-person bedroom/study must be at least 10 m² (or 6.5 m² minimum if a separate common room that isn't a kitchen/kitchen-diner is provided). A one-room bedsit-style unit for 1 person must be at least 13 m². (Kirklees Amenity Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation)

Double bedroom

10.2 m² minimum for each double bedroom in a two-or-more-room unit with cooking, living and sleeping facilities elsewhere in the property. In shared accommodation (e.g. student houses), a two-person bedroom/study must be at least 14.9 m². A one-room bedsit-style unit for 2 persons (with its own cooking/living/sleeping facilities) must be at least 18.6 m². (Kirklees Amenity Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation)

Single bedroom

6.5 m² minimum for each single bedroom in a two-or-more-room unit with cooking, living and sleeping facilities elsewhere in the property. In shared accommodation (e.g. student houses), a one-person bedroom/study must be at least 10 m² (or 6.5 m² minimum if a separate common room that isn't a kitchen/kitchen-diner is provided). A one-room bedsit-style unit for 1 person must be at least 13 m². (Kirklees Amenity Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation)

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.

Fire safety requirements

Working smoke alarms must be installed and kept in proper working order as a mandatory licence condition.
A valid gas safety certificate must be provided annually.
The fixed electrical installation must be checked (EICR) every 5 years.
Fire detection systems require an annual maintenance record, submitted as part of the application.

Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards

Washing facilities scale with occupancy: at least 1 bathroom/shower room + 1 WC with WHB for 1–4 persons, rising to 2 bathrooms/shower rooms with 2 WCs for 6–8 persons, and 3 bathrooms/shower rooms with WCs for 11–15 persons.
Shared kitchen facilities scale with occupants sharing them: for example, 1x 4-ring oven and grill for up to 5 persons (2x for 6–9 persons, plus 1 per 3 thereafter); 1 sink with drainage for up to 5 persons; 0.5 m² of worktop per user up to a 2 m² maximum; 0.4 m³ of food storage per person.
Electrical socket provision is specified per room type: 4 sockets (2 double) in living rooms and bedrooms/studies; kitchen sockets scale with the number of households sharing the kitchen area.
The property must not be overcrowded and communal areas/shared facilities must be kept clean and in good repair.
Reductions of up to 5% below the standard room-size figures may be accepted at the council's discretion, taking into account internal obstructions such as chimney breasts.

Documents you will need

Gas safety certificate — Current annual Gas Safety Certificate.
Electrical safety certificate — Current EICR, required to be renewed every 5 years.
Fire detection maintenance record — Annual maintenance record for the automatic fire detection system.
Tenancy agreement — Copy of the tenancy agreement used for occupants.
Floor plan — Floor plan of the property, using the council's example floor plan/sketch paper template if needed.
EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.

Sources

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