South East
HMO licensing in Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 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 Windsor and Maidenhead (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £920.70 (£847 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £920.70
Renewal £847
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 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 £920.70, and £847 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
New licence, first property (up to 5 bedrooms): £920.70. New licence for a second and subsequent property held by the same licence holder, and all renewals (up to 5 bedrooms): £847.00. Additional charge of £30.80 per bedroom beyond 5. No accredited-landlord discount is published. Administration fee of £50.00/hour is charged for incomplete applications requiring chase letters. Duplicate licence/copy of documents: £11.18. Applicants are told not to send payment with the application; an invoice is issued after determination. Figures stated by the council as 'current as at April 2026'.
Check the current fee on the council website (rbwm.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 sq m (national minimum, SI 2018/616) — RBWM has not published its own council-specific room-size standard; this is the statutory national fallback used for licensing conditions. |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 sq m (national minimum, SI 2018/616) — fallback, see note above. |
| Child under 10 | 4.64 sq m (national minimum, SI 2018/616) — fallback, see note above. |
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 states licensed HMOs must have 'a means of escape in case of fire and other fire precautions' appropriate to the property (RBWM 'About houses in multiple occupation' page); no council-specific technical fire safety standard document (e.g. detector spec, fire door spec) was located on rbwm.gov.uk.
- Application requires submission of test reports relating to fire detection and emergency lighting, and a copy of the fire risk assessment.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Council requires provision of 'amenities such as kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and wash hand basins' and states there must be 'no overcrowding with regards to the number and size of rooms' (RBWM 'About houses in multiple occupation' page). No published numeric kitchen/bathroom-to-occupant ratio document was located; landlords should refer to national guidance (LACORS / Housing Act 2004 fitness standards) pending confirmation of an RBWM-specific ratio table.
Documents you will need
- Completed application form — Required for all new and renewal applications.
- Proof of address — For the applicant/licence holder.
- Gas Safety Certificate — Most recent, from a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Most recent report.
- Fire detection and emergency lighting test reports — Evidence the systems have been tested.
- Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate — For landlord-supplied electrical appliances.
- Property layout plan — Plan of the property detailing the layout of each room, including room sizes and facilities.
- Current tenancy agreement — A copy of a current tenancy agreement.
- Deposit holding details — Details of the deposit protection/holding arrangement.
- Fire risk assessment — A copy of the property's fire risk assessment.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.