South East
HMO licensing in Wokingham
Wokingham Borough Council 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 Wokingham (checked September 2026). The published licence fee starts at £1,551 (£1,038 to renew).
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
None in force
Mandatory licensing only
Licence fee
From £1,551
Renewal £1,038
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Wokingham
Wokingham 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.
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,551, and £1,038 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Flat fees per the council's official 'Licensing Fees and Charges 2026 to 2027' schedule, in force from 1 April 2026: HMO New = £1,551; HMO Renewal = £1,038; Copy of HMO register = £77. No accredited-landlord discount is published in this fee schedule. Registered charities are stated to be exempt from paying HMO licence fees entirely (per the council's HMO Licence Application Guidance Notes). Fees are reviewed annually.
Check the current fee on the council website (wokingham.gov.uk) before you apply.
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 sq m (national minimum, SI 2018/616) — Wokingham has not published its own council-specific room-size standard; this is the statutory national fallback. |
|---|---|
| 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's guidance notes state the standard of fire protection required 'will vary with each property' and is assessed against the application/sketch plan rather than a single published spec.
- Annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer required on all gas appliances (Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998).
- Electrical installation certificate required, carried out by a competent electrician (NICEIC, ECA, BRE Certification, BSI, ELECSA or NAPIT approved); inspection frequency set by the electrician.
- Upholstered furniture supplied with the accommodation must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended).
- Fire exit signage only required where the property has more than 4 storeys, per council guidance.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- No Wokingham-specific numeric kitchen/bathroom-to-occupant ratio document was located; the council's published HMO Licence Application Guidance Notes describe the fire/amenity assessment as property-specific rather than setting out a fixed ratio table. Landlords should refer to national guidance pending confirmation of a Wokingham-specific standard.
Documents you will need
- Completed application form — Per WBC HMO Licence Application Guidance Notes.
- Gas safety certificate — Annual, from a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Electrical installation certificate/EICR — From a competent, accredited electrician.
- Sketch/floor plan of the property — Used to assess fire escape routes and room layout.
- Evidence of planning permission — Required only where the HMO has more than 6 tenants and planning permission/approval was needed; enclose a copy if already obtained.
- Fit-and-proper-person information / DBS cooperation — The council may require cooperation in obtaining DBS information to confirm the licence holder/manager is fit and proper; declare any unspent convictions separately under confidential cover, not with the main form.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Wokingham Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.