HMO licensing in Three Rivers

Three Rivers 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.

Three Rivers District 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.

Three Rivers District Council's HMO Licensing Policy (April 2026) confirms the council operates only mandatory licensing (5+ occupants forming 2+ households). The Policy explicitly states: 'At the time of adopting this policy, Three Rivers District Council does not operate an Additional Licensing scheme' and 'does not operate a Selective Licensing scheme' - both positions were reconfirmed by the Policy and Resources Committee in January 2026 (additional licensing 'not progressed... reviewed in 12 months' time') and June 2026 (a proposed Article 4 planning direction, a separate planning control, was also not agreed - members were asked to choose between not progressing, an immediate direction, or a non-immediate direction, with no confirmed outcome found in the available minutes). No fee amount for an HMO licence application is published on the council's HMO webpage, the HMO Licensing Policy, the council's 2026/27 Licensing Fees schedule (which covers only taxi, alcohol, gambling and scrap-metal licensing, not HMOs), or in the committee reports reviewed. The 'Applying for an HMO Licence' page states only that 'Payment of the application fee' is required as part of the process, without stating the amount. Landlords should contact the council's Customer Services Centre or Residential Environmental Health team directly for the current fee.

Check the current fee on the council website (threerivers.gov.uk) 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.

• Self-closing FD30S (30-minute fire and smoke rated) fire doors required on all bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms, with cold smoke seals and intumescent strips.
• Bedroom fire doors and final exit doors must have thumb-turn/Yale-type locks openable from the inside without a key, complying with BS 3621 or BS 1303.
• A fire blanket to BS 1869:1997 must be mounted in the kitchen, 1.5 m high, away from the cooking facility.
• Automatic fire alarm system required: two-storey HMOs need BS 5839 Part 6 Grade D, LD2 (or equivalent); three-or-more-storey HMOs need Grade A, LD2 (or equivalent), with smoke detectors in every bedroom, throughout the escape route and communal living rooms, and a heat detector in the kitchen, hard-wired and interlinked.
• Suitable and sufficient emergency lighting must cover the protected escape route, certified to BS 5266.
• A written fire risk assessment is required for all licensable HMOs, reviewed annually or at each change of tenancy.
• Carbon monoxide alarms required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance.
• The council reserves the right to consult Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue on fire provisions; if concerns are raised that adequate fire mitigation has not been provided, the council will refuse the licence.
• Fire precaution electrics must not be run through pre-payment/coin meters.

• Washing facilities: 1 bathroom (wash basin, bath/shower) for up to 5 sharers; 2 bathrooms for 6-10 sharers; an additional bathroom per further 5 occupiers above 10.
• Toilets: 1 toilet for 1-5 occupiers (can be in the bathroom); 2 toilets for 6-8; 2 toilets (1 separate from any bathroom) for 9-10; 3 toilets (1 separate) for 11-16.
• Kitchens: full set of facilities required per 5 occupants - 1-5 occupants need 1 full-size cooker (4 rings, oven, grill), 1 sink (min 500mm x 600mm) and 1 fridge/freezer; 6 occupants add a combination microwave and dishwasher/double sink; 7-10 occupants need 2 of each.
• Kitchen worktop: minimum 600mm depth x 500mm length per occupier; kitchen sockets: 6 power outlets per 5 occupiers above worktops, plus a dedicated outlet per major appliance.
• Bedroom/living room sockets: minimum 4 sockets per bedroom, study or living room.
• Heating must maintain 21°C in living rooms, 18°C in bedrooms/kitchen/hall and 22°C in bathrooms when it is -1°C outside; portable paraffin, electric fan or LPG heaters are prohibited under any circumstances.
• Fixed electrical installations must be inspected at least every 5 years (EICR); gas appliances inspected annually; PAT testing carried out annually.
• An Energy Performance Certificate is required for all HMOs (valid 10 years, or renewed when energy efficiency works are carried out).
• Waste storage and disposal must comply with the council's scheme, a mandatory licence condition.

• Completed floor plans — Showing all room sizes in m², position of smoke/fire detectors, position of emergency lighting, and all rooms numbered.
• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current certificate, if gas appliances are present, renewed annually.
• EICR — Current Electrical Installation Condition Report, required at least every 5 years.
• Fire risk assessment — Written assessment of the property's fire precautions.
• Fire detection system commissioning certificate — Confirming the fire alarm system was designed and installed to the relevant British Standard.
• Emergency lighting commissioning certificate — Confirming emergency lighting complies with BS 5266.
• DBS check — Disclosure and Barring Service check for the licence holder or manager, dated within 6 months of the application; applications without one will be refused.
• Tenancy agreements — Copies of current tenancy agreements for the property.
• PAT certificates — Portable Appliance Test certificates for electrical appliances provided.
• Identification of the licence holder — Proof of identity for the person applying for the licence.

• threerivers.gov.uk
• cdn.threerivers.gov.uk
• cdn.threerivers.gov.uk
• moderngov.threerivers.gov.uk
• moderngov.threerivers.gov.uk
• cdn.threerivers.gov.uk

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