HMO licensing in Northumberland

Northumberland County Council does not publish a single figure we could confirm. Fees are set by the council and reviewed each year, so check its fees page.

Third-party licensing directories quote a combined figure in the region of £600, but Foldstead could not confirm this against the council's own current fee table, so it is deliberately omitted rather than risk giving landlords an inaccurate figure — check the council's current Fees and Charges register or contact the Private Sector Housing Team directly before budgeting. This mandatory HMO fee is separate from Northumberland's Selective Licensing fee (charged only in the designated Croft Ward, Blyth area), which is published at £650 for non-accredited landlords and £495 for landlords accredited under the council's Property and Landlord Accreditation Northumberland (PLAN) scheme.

Check the current fee on the council website (northumberland.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.

• As with all licensed HMOs in England, Northumberland applies the mandatory licence conditions in Schedule 4 to the Housing Act 2004 and the Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018: a working smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, kept in proper working order, with a declaration of condition and positioning to be supplied to the council on demand.
• A carbon monoxide alarm is a mandatory condition in any room used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance (other than a gas cooker).
• The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 apply, requiring the person managing the HMO to ensure all means of escape from fire are kept free from obstruction and maintained in good order.

• Foldstead could not verify Northumberland-specific numeric amenity standards (bathroom/kitchen ratios) from an accessible official document; the figures below reflect the mandatory national licence conditions that apply to every licensed HMO in England and that Northumberland applies as part of its licence conditions.
• The licence holder must ensure the property has a declaration of the safety of all gas appliances (where gas is supplied) via an annual Gas Safety Certificate produced to the council on request.
• The licence holder must ensure every electrical installation is in proper working order and safe, and must supply a declaration as to the safety of the installation and of any electrical appliances made available to tenants.
• The licence holder must supply written statements of the terms on which each occupier occupies their accommodation.
• The council may attach discretionary conditions to a licence limiting the maximum number of occupants having regard to the number and type of amenities (kitchens, bathrooms, WCs) actually available at the property.

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current Landlords Gas Safety Record for every gas appliance/flue, required where gas is supplied to the property.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report confirming the electrical installation is safe.
• EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
• Floor plans — Plans showing room sizes and property facilities, required as part of a valid application.
• Management statement — A management statement describing arrangements for managing the property.
• Legal interest details — Names and addresses of all persons/organisations with a legal interest in the property, plus the licence holder's date of birth.

• northumberland.gov.uk
• gov.uk

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