West Midlands

HMO licensing in Stratford-on-Avon

Stratford-on-Avon District 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 Stratford-on-Avon (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £1,030.02 (£924.65 to renew).

Mandatory licence

5+ people, 2+ households

National scheme

Additional / selective

None in force

Mandatory licensing only

Licence fee

From £1,030.02

Renewal £924.65

Decision time

Not published

Check your property Get alerts for Stratford-on-Avon

Licensing schemes in Stratford-on-Avon

Stratford-on-Avon District 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 £1,030.02, and £924.65 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Source: council Fees & Charges 2026/27 PDF (HMO inspection fees, no VAT). New applications: 5-10 occupants £1,030.02; 11-15 £1,138.26; 16-20 £1,246.40; 21+ occupants = the 16-20 fee PLUS £112.44 per additional group of up to 10 occupants. Renewals: 5-10 £924.65; 11-15 £1,024.39; 16-20 £1,225.59; 21+ = 16-20 fee plus £112.44 per group of up to 10. totalGbp and renewalGbp are the 5-10 occupant band. Scaling fee by occupant number. The council states fees are charged in two parts: Part A (75%, non-refundable, paid with application) and Part B (25%, payable once the licence is approved); the split amounts are not published as figures (75/25 of £1,030.02 would be about £772.52 + £257.51, calculated by us, not published), so instalments is null. No landlord-accreditation discount is published. Related published charges: late licence application penalty/administration £172.82 and unlicensed HMO charge £255.74 (listed lines in the same schedule; the extracted PDF rows are partly misaligned so these are indicative only - check the PDF). 2025/26 figures were £1,004.90 (new, 5-10) and £902.10 (renewal, 5-10).

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

Minimum room sizes

Single bedroom	Council standard (HMO Guide for Landlords 2023, 'Overcrowding and Privacy'): single bedroom 6.5 m2; single bedroom with cooking facilities 10 m2; single bed-sitting room 10 m2; single bed-sitting room with cooking facilities 13 m2. Statutory minimum is 6.51 m2 (SI 2018/616), so 6.51 m2 should be treated as the legal floor.
Double bedroom	Council standard: double bedroom 11 m2; double bedroom with cooking facilities 15 m2; double bed-sitting room 15 m2; double bed-sitting room with cooking facilities 20 m2. Statutory minimum is 10.22 m2 (SI 2018/616).
Child under 10	NATIONAL FALLBACK: the council guide does not set a separate child-under-10 bedroom size; the statutory 4.64 m2 (SI 2018/616) applies. The guide discounts children under 12 months for its space standards and disregards floor area where ceiling height is below 1.52 m. Communal sitting rooms are expected at 1.9 m2 per person.

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

Council fire safety page: landlords must ensure adequate fire safety; the council applies the LACORS fire safety guidance, liaises with Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service, and recommends landlords contact the council for advice.
Smoke alarms must be kept in working order; the licence holder must supply a declaration on the condition and positioning of alarms on demand.
Fire alarm system, detectors, sounders, call points and control panels checked at intervals of not more than 12 months by a suitably qualified electrician (BS 5839-1 and BS 5839-6 as appropriate); emergency lighting checked at least every 12 months (BS 5266-1); firefighting equipment serviced at least every 12 months (BS 5306-3).
All means of escape (stairs, corridors, halls, entrances) kept in good repair and free from obstruction; fire-resisting doors maintained with three 4-inch steel hinges and, where appropriate, smoke/heat seals and self-closers.
Occupiers must be given information on installed fire precautions and escape instructions at the start of occupation; furniture supplied must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (declaration on demand).
Shared kitchens must have a suitable fire blanket and a fire extinguisher (the guide specifies a 34B-rated type) per the guide's shared kitchen list. Gas safety certificate less than 12 months old; electrical installation inspection within 5 years (BS 7671); PAT certificate for landlord-supplied appliances; LPG not to be stored or used.

Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards

Shared kitchens (per 6 persons): sink and drainer with hot and cold drinking water and impervious splashback; fixed impervious worktop at least 1.5 m x 0.6 m; dry food storage 0.18 m3 per person; refrigerator (min. 150 litres) and freezer (min. 120 litres); 4-ring cooker with oven and grill (at 7 persons an additional 2-ring cooker with oven and grill may replace a further full cooker; a dishwasher may replace an additional sink); at least four 13-amp sockets at the worktop in addition to those for major appliances; refuse disposal facilities; fire blanket and extinguisher. Kitchens not more than one floor from any user unless a dining area is adjacent.
Kitchens within bedsits: sink and drainer, 1.0 m x 0.6 m worktop, 0.18 m3 food cupboard, refrigerator (min. 66 litres), 4-ring cooker with oven and grill (2 rings for single person use, microwave may replace 2 rings), two 13-amp sockets at the worktop.
WC ratios: 1-4 persons 1 WC (may be in bathroom); 5 persons 1 WC (separate from bathroom); 6-10 persons 2 WCs; 11-15 persons 3 WCs; 16-20 persons 4 WCs; 21-25 persons 5 WCs; 26-30 persons 6 WCs. WCs not more than two floors from any occupier; each WC needs a wash hand basin with hot and cold water and tiled splashback.
Heating, lighting and ventilation: fixed space heating in every bedroom, sitting room, dining room and bath/shower room, controllable by occupiers; windows with glazed area of at least 10% of floor area and openable area of at least 5% of floor area; adequate artificial lighting in all common parts; loft insulation of 250 mm and draught-proofed external doors/windows.
Occupancy must not exceed the maximum stated on the licence; no person over 10 of the opposite sex may share a bedroom unless partners; no communal room may be accessed only through a bedroom; if communal space is inadequate, sleeping rooms are treated as bed-sitting rooms.

Documents you will need

HMO licence application Forms 1 and 2 — Form 1 (the property) and Form 2 (the licence holder) completed by the owner/proposed licence holder; Form 3 (licence manager) if a manager is nominated.
Form 4 - notification of others with a legal interest — To be sent to anyone with a legal interest in the property (not returned with the application).
Form 5 - fire self-certification — Fire self-certification form listed among the council's application forms.
Plan of the HMO — The council provides 'Providing a plan of your HMO' guidance on the application page.
Gas safety certificate — Current valid certificate, if there are gas appliances.
Electrical safety certificate (fixed wiring) — Current valid fixed-wiring inspection report; a PAT (portable appliance) test certificate is also required.
Fire alarm, emergency lighting and fire-fighting equipment certificates — Current certificates where a fire alarm system, emergency lighting or extinguishers are installed.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Listed on the application page as required with the forms.

Sources

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