West Midlands
HMO licensing in Stafford
Stafford 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 Stafford (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £825.15 (£710.30 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £825.15
Renewal £710.30
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Stafford
Stafford 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 £825.15, and £710.30 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
2025/26 fee schedule, for a 5-year licence covering up to 8 bedrooms/bedsits: standard first application £825.15, renewal/subsequent application with no changes £710.30. A 10% Accredited Landlord discount reduces these to £742.85 (first application) and £639.20 (renewal). An additional £31.30 per extra bedroom/bedsit applies for properties with 9 or more units, and a £64.40 charge applies if an application is returned incomplete. The fee is set to cover administration, issuing and register-maintenance costs; enforcement costs are recovered separately.
Check the current fee on the council website (staffordbc.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum floor area for two occupants aged 10 or over (national mandatory HMO licence condition under The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018). |
|---|---|
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area for one occupant aged 10 or over under the same 2018 Regulations; rooms below 4.64 m² cannot be used as sleeping accommodation. |
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
- Property inspected by the Housing Standards Team to verify compliance with national minimum fire-safety standards before a licence is granted.
- Working, correctly positioned smoke/fire detection maintained throughout the licence term.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Licences are granted only where the applicant demonstrates fitness, proper management and compliance with occupancy standards.
- Regular inspections confirm ongoing compliance with national minimum HMO standards.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Within the last 12 months for every gas appliance on the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, dated within the last five years.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
- Updated fit-and-proper-person information — Required at renewal, confirming the licence holder's continued suitability.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Stafford Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.