HMO licensing in Wirral

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £875, and £875 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

A 3-year mandatory HMO licence costs £875 (online application) for a property with up to 5 units of accommodation, plus £30 for each additional unit above 5; paper applications cost £975 plus the same £30 per additional unit due to extra administration. A £50 discount applies to landlords accredited with Wirral Council before 28 February 2018, or currently accredited with an approved scheme such as the NRLA. This fee covers a full 3-year licence term. Separately, Wirral's selective licensing scheme (for smaller privately rented properties in designated areas, not HMO-specific) costs £605 for the current 2025-2030 designation, with discounts available for accreditation, early application, an EPC rating of C or above, and owning multiple licensed properties.

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

Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.

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.

• A 'type 3' fire risk assessment is required, extending beyond communal areas to cover individual sleeping and living accommodation as well.
• 2-storey HMOs need mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms in corridors, sleeping accommodation and communal rooms, with a heat detector in the kitchen; 3-storey and above (higher-risk/bedsit) HMOs need more rigorous alarm panels with weekly tenant tests, monthly emergency lighting tests, 6-monthly professional fire alarm servicing (BS 5839-1), and annual emergency lighting servicing (BS 5266).
• Fire doors must be fitted to manufacturer specification and checked as part of regular property inspections to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
• A fire blanket must be provided in every kitchen, positioned at a convenient height near the cooker.
• Carbon monoxide alarms are required in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance (except gas cookers).

• Washing/WC ratio: 1-4 occupants need at least 1 bath/shower, WC and wash hand basin; 5 occupants need 1 bath/shower with basin plus a separate WC with basin; 6-10 occupants need 2 baths/showers and 2 separate WCs with basins; a proportionate increase applies for every additional 3 residents beyond 12.
• Shared kitchens must be at least 1.8 m wide at the narrowest point, contain no more than 2 sets of cooking facilities, and serve no more than 10 people; kitchen facilities scale up by occupancy (e.g. 3-5 people need a 4-ring hob with built-in oven, 130-litre fridge and 60-litre freezer).
• A wash hand basin should be provided in each sleeping room where reasonably practicable, and ensuite facilities are preferred where minimum room standards can still be met.
• Heating must maintain 21°C in sleeping accommodation and 22°C in bathrooms when it is -1°C outside, and must be controllable by occupants; portable electric, paraffin, oil-fired or LPG heaters are not acceptable under any circumstances.
• Minimum ceiling height of 2.35 m in all rooms (2.10 m accepted in existing attic rooms).

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Annual certificate from a Gas Safe registered engineer for every gas appliance.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a competent, approved-scheme member.
• EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
• Fire risk assessment — A 'type 3' written fire risk assessment covering communal areas plus individual sleeping/living accommodation.
• Floor plan — Showing room dimensions and use.

• wirral.gov.uk
• wirral.gov.uk
• wirral.gov.uk

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