Landlord licensing in Barnsley Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Additional licensing

Barnsley Council does not currently operate any additional licensing schemes for smaller HMOs.

Selective licensing

Barnsley Council operates selective licensing in the following areas: Dearne North, Dearne South, Hoyland Milton, Kingstone, Wombwell, and Worsbrough. These designations run from 1 October 2024 for five years.

Typical fees

Mandatory HMO Licence fees are £825 for a new application and £660 for a renewal. Selective Licence fees are £700 for a new application and £500 for a renewal.

Towns covered

Barnsley

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Barnsley Council area, the first job is to confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs. Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check the council's own licensing pages for current designations, fees, and boundaries. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions commence 2026) replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, ends section 21 no-fault evictions and introduces a national landlord database and ombudsman. Whatever the licensing position, ensure you have a current gas safety record where there is gas, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and the required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website