HMO licensing in St Helens

St Helens 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.

St Helens Borough 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.

St Helens issues a 5-year mandatory HMO licence but charges for it annually: £248 for each year (2026/27 rate), paid with the first application and again with each annual renewal application in years 2 to 5. The council does not publish a whole-licence total or the rates for future years, and the fee is not scaled by the number of occupants or rooms.

Fee source: housinglicensing.sthelens.gov.uk (checked 7 October 2026). Fees change during the year, so check the council before you apply.

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.

• Automatic fire detection system conforming to BS 5839 Part 6 (council standard for licensable properties of 3+ storeys; guidance sheet cites the 2004 edition of the standard, so confirm current grade/category with the HMO team).
• Non-maintained emergency lighting to BS 5266 Part 1; annual emergency lighting inspection certificate is asked for at application 'if applicable'.
• Half-hour fire resistance to walls and ceilings throughout the escape route; 60-minute fire-resisting construction between any basement and ground floor.
• FD30S self-closing fire doors (with intumescent strips and smoke seals) wherever a door opens onto the protected escape route or is a kitchen door leading to other parts of the accommodation.
• Fire blankets in containers (BS 6575 per the guidance sheet) in kitchens, mounted approx. 1.5 m above floor level.
• Gas and electricity meters/fuse boxes in common parts enclosed to give half-hour fire resistance with a lockable door and 'FIRE DOOR KEEP SHUT' signage.
• Main exit door openable from inside without a key (mortice locks need an internal turn-buckle).
• Living accommodation above commercial premises: 60-minute fire-resisting separation and FD60s doors to the commercial part, plus a linked smoke/heat detector in the commercial part.
• Inner-room bedrooms (only escape via another room) are not permitted unless the layout is changed or an emergency escape window/door (min. openable area 0.33 m2, min 450 mm x 450 mm, sill no more than 1100 mm above floor) is provided.
• Portable fire extinguishers are optional (9-litre water type, 13A rated, on each landing) if tenants are instructed in their use.
• The council's application portal requires annual fire extinguisher inspection and fire detection/warning system inspection certificates at first application.

• Shared bathrooms/WCs: up to 5 sharing - one bathroom with fixed bath or shower plus one separate WC with wash hand basin; 6-10 sharing - two bathrooms (each with bath/shower) and two WCs with wash hand basins (one WC may sit within a bathroom); 11-15 sharing - three bathrooms and three WCs/basins. A fixed bath is required if a child lives, or is likely to live, in the house.
• Shared kitchens: should not be shared by more than 5 persons where practicable, with floor area not less than 7 m2 and not less than 1.8 m across the narrowest point. A kitchen may exceptionally be shared by up to 10 persons with additional facilities (extra sink/drainer or dishwasher, 3 m worktop, 4-ring cooker with oven and grill, 500 mm storage cupboard per additional occupant, larger fridge/freezer, extra sockets and +1.0 m2 floor space per additional occupant up to 10 m2).
• Where a kitchen cannot serve more than 5 people: 6-10 occupants need 2 kitchens, 11-15 need 3 kitchens, 16-20 need 4 kitchens.
• Up-to-5-sharing kitchen: 2 m x 0.6 m non-porous worktop, 4-ring cooker with grill and oven, two twin 13A sockets above worktop, 1 m sink with integral draining board (hot and cold water), 150 mm splashback, a 500 mm wall-unit-equivalent storage cupboard per person, and 0.15 m3 of refrigerated storage. 6-10 sharing: 3 m x 0.6 m worktop and 0.27 m3 refrigerated storage.
• Kitchens within a letting (exclusive use): worktop at least 1 m x 0.6 m, cooker with 2 rings (4 rings if 2 persons sharing) plus grill and oven, sink with drainer, 500 mm wall-unit-equivalent storage per person, min 5 cu ft refrigerated storage.
• Mechanical extraction in kitchens and bathrooms (60 l/s, or 30 l/s if in a cooker hood) unless adequate natural ventilation; permanent heating capable of 21 C in living rooms/bedrooms and 18 C elsewhere; no coin-operated heating or hot water in common parts.
• Natural light: windows of at least 1/10th of the room floor area for living rooms and bedrooms.

• Gas safety certificate — Current annual landlord's gas safety certificate. Required for new (Year 1) and annual renewal applications.
• Electrical installation condition report (EICR) — Covering a 5-year period; required at Year 1. Annual renewals ask for the current electrical inspection certificate.
• Fire detection and warning system inspection certificate — Current annual certificate (Year 1 application).
• Fire extinguisher inspection certificate — Current annual certificate (Year 1 application).
• Emergency lighting inspection certificate — If applicable (Year 1 application).
• Sketch plan of each floor with room descriptions — An accurate sketch plan of each floor and a description of each room; first-year applications only.
• Tenancy agreements — Listed on the portal as required 'annually'.
• DBS form — Disclosure and Barring Service form; first-year applications only.
• Energy performance certificate (EPC) — If applicable.
• Portable appliance testing (PAT) report — If applicable.
• Asbestos inspection report — If applicable.

• housinglicensing.sthelens.gov.uk
• housinglicensing.sthelens.gov.uk
• housinglicensing.sthelens.gov.uk
• sthelens.gov.uk
• sthelens.gov.uk
• sthelens.gov.uk
• sthelens.gov.uk

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