HMO licensing in West Berkshire

West Berkshire 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 £1,480, and £999 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

HMO licensing for West Berkshire is administered by the Public Protection Partnership (PPP), a shared licensing service operated jointly by Bracknell Forest Council and West Berkshire Council. The current fee schedule is published in the council's own committee papers: 'Appendix C i Fees Charges PPP 2026-27' (decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk, Private Sector Housing section). For 2026/27: 'HMO Licence NEW - assisted application' = £1,480 total, up from £1,380 in 2025/26 (7.2% increase), split into a two-stage fee of £888 (Stage 1) + £592 (Stage 2). 'HMO Licence RENEWAL' = £999 total, up from £931.50 in 2025/26 (7.2% increase), split into £600 (Stage 1) + £399 (Stage 2). The document lists only one fee tier for 'new' and one for 'renewal' (both labelled 'assisted application' in the source table) — no separate unassisted/self-service tier, no accredited-landlord discount, and no bedroom/occupant-based scaling is published in this fee schedule, so the fee appears to be a flat rate per licence rather than scaled. The PPP's own HMO webpage states 'The HMO application fee is reviewed annually. For details, please view our fees and charges' without quoting the figure directly on that page, so the committee PDF is the primary source used here.

Check the current fee on the council website (publicprotectionpartnership.org.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.

• The PPP's HMO page states its guidance 'should be read in conjunction with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) Guidance for Landlords and Property Related Professionals and LACORS Fire Safety Guidance' — i.e. the council applies national HHSRS/LACORS standards rather than publishing a distinct bespoke fire-safety table on its own website (as found during this research).
• A fire risk assessment is a mandatory supporting document for every HMO licence application, per the PPP's published application checklist.
• A valid fire alarm testing certificate and/or a declaration of regular check/maintenance is a mandatory supporting document.
• A valid emergency lighting certificate is required where applicable, per the PPP's published application checklist.
• The council publishes a 'Statement of Principles' under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 setting out how it enforces smoke/carbon monoxide alarm requirements and penalises non-compliant landlords.

• Fully completed application form — Signed and dated, required for the application to be accepted as 'duly made', per the PPP's HMO page.
• Licence fee payment — Payment of the HMO application fee is required for the application to be duly made.
• Floor plan — A floor-plan of the property is a required supporting document.
• Fire risk assessment — Required as part of a duly made application.
• Photo ID — Passport and/or UK driving licence for the licence holder.
• Proof of address — Two recent utility bills for both the licence holder and the manager.
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — A valid electrical installation safety certificate is a required supporting document.
• Gas safety certificate — A valid gas safety certificate, if applicable (i.e. where the property has a gas supply).
• Fire alarm testing certificate — A valid fire alarm testing certificate and/or a declaration of regular check/maintenance.
• Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate — A valid PAT certificate is a required supporting document.
• Emergency lighting certificate — Required if applicable to the property.
• DBS checks — Applicants 'may have to carry out' an enhanced DBS check and a Basic DBS check, per the PPP's HMO page, though it is not stated as universally mandatory for every application.

• publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk
• westberks.gov.uk
• decisionmaking.westberks.gov.uk
• publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk

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