North West
HMO licensing in Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley Borough 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 Ribble Valley (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £1,550.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £1,550
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley Borough 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 £1,550. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Ribble Valley's HMO licence fee (from 1 April 2025, per the council's approved Fees and Charges 2025/26 schedule) is split into two parts: Part 1, processing a licence application (either a 2-year or 5-year licence), at £995.70; and Part 2, licence scheme running costs including compliance monitoring, at £554.30 — a total of £1,550.00. A separate charge of £171.10 applies for a variation to an existing HMO licence. Landlords who are members of a recognised accredited landlord scheme receive a 20% reduction on these licence fees.
Check the current fee on the council website (ribblevalley.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area for one person over 10 years old (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions) (England) Regulations 2018). |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum floor area for two persons over 10 years old (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions) (England) Regulations 2018). |
| Child's bedroom (under 10 years) | 4.64 m² minimum; rooms below this size cannot be used as sleeping accommodation at all (national HMO space standard). |
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.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- The property must be suitable for the number of occupants specified on the licence, assessed against the national HMO amenity and space standards.
Documents you will need
- HMO licence application form — Completed in full, in black ink, per council guidance.
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current, for every gas appliance in the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, current.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
- Floor plans — Sketch or formal plan of each level of the residential areas.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Ribble Valley Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.