HMO licensing in Watford

Watford 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.

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,557.70, and £1,295.90 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Watford Borough Council's own HMO licensing pages (checked across all sections of its 'Licensing houses in multiple occupation' guide - overview, guidance, licensable HMOs, exemptions and consultancy services) describe only mandatory licensing (5+ occupants forming 2+ households); no Additional or Selective licensing scheme is mentioned as currently operating. The current published fee for a new HMO Licence application is £1,557.70 (£1,236.90 for registered charities). Renewal costs £1,295.90 (£1,033.00 for registered charities). Two optional add-on services are available on top of the standard fee: an assisted application service (an officer completes the application on the landlord's behalf) for £362.30, and a fast-track service (guarantees the application is validated and assigned to an officer within 5 days, but does not speed up the full decision) for £403.70. No formal instalment plan is published.

Check the current fee on the council website (watford.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.

• Mains-powered fire alarms and a protected means of escape are required for both licensable and non-licensable HMOs.
• Extra fire safety conditions apply to licensable HMOs specifically, assessed against the council's Guide to Fire Precautions in HMOs and the Hertfordshire Fire Precautions Guide.
• A fire risk assessment must be carried out to determine the level of upgrades needed, varying by the building's type and layout.
• Not following fire safety guidance is a criminal offence that can lead to an unlimited fine.

• Washing/sanitary facilities: 1 bathroom with WC, basin and bath/shower for up to 4 occupiers; 5 occupiers need a separate WC from the bathroom; 6-8 need 2 bathrooms and 2 WCs (can be in bathrooms); 9 need 2 bathrooms and 2 WCs (at least 1 separate); 10 need 2 bathrooms and 2 separate WCs; 11+ need 1 separate WC and 1 bathroom per 5 occupiers.
• Wash hand basins: council expects a minimum ratio of 1 wash basin per 2 occupiers (minimum size 550mm x 400mm, with a 300mm two-course tiled splash back); a legal requirement for a basin in every unit of accommodation at 5+ occupants is only enforced where a risk assessment shows the need.
• Bath: minimum 1700mm x 760mm; Shower: minimum 800mm x 800mm with adequate drying/changing space; both need a two-course tile splash back.
• Communal kitchen facilities (adequate for 5 persons, or 6 with an added microwave): cooker with minimum 4 burners/hobs plus oven and grill, sink (min 500mm x 600mm), worktop of at least 600mm x 1500mm, storage cupboard per household, and minimum 0.05 m³ fridge space per household (with additional fridge space if no freezer provided); kitchen must be no more than 2 floors from any user.
• Exclusive-use kitchens: minimum 2 burners/hobs plus grill and oven, sink (500mm x 600mm), worktop 600mm x 1000mm (1 person) or 600mm x 1500mm (2 people), storage cupboard and fridge.
• Heating: gas fired central heating (timer + thermostat), fixed gas room heaters, or off-peak electric storage heaters are acceptable; open fires, portable LPG heaters and on-peak electric heaters are not. Target temperature is 21°C in bed-sits/sitting rooms and 18°C elsewhere.
• Kitchens must be ventilated directly to external air (window with openable area of at least 1/20th of floor area, or mechanical extraction with at least 1 air change per hour); a ground-floor room cannot rely on a window alone for ventilation due to security risk.

• Fit and Proper Person declaration form — Signed declaration required as part of every HMO licence application.
• Fire risk assessment — Assessment of fire precautions appropriate to the building's type and layout.
• Gas safety certificate — Current certificate for any gas appliances in the property.
• EICR — Current Electrical Installation Condition Report.
• Completed application form (Section 20 declaration) — All sections must be completed and the Section 20 declaration box ticked, submitted via GOV.UK.

• watford.gov.uk
• watford.gov.uk
• watford.gov.uk

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