Landlord licensing in Knowsley Council
North West · England
Licensing at a glance
- HMO licensing
- Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties with five or more tenants from two or more households who share facilities. The entire Knowsley Council area is covered by an additional licensing scheme for HMOs with three or four tenants forming two or more households, which started on 1 April 2024 and runs for five years until 31 March 2029.
- Additional licensing
- An additional licensing scheme covers the entire borough for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) with three or four tenants forming two or more households. This scheme commenced on 1 April 2024 and runs for five years until 31 March 2029.
- Selective licensing
- Knowsley Council operates a borough-wide selective licensing scheme covering all privately rented properties, including single-family lets. This scheme commenced on 1 April 2024 and runs for five years until 31 March 2029.
- Typical fees
- Mandatory HMO Licence: £998 for a five-year licence. Additional HMO Licence: £998 for a five-year licence. Selective Licence: £998 for a five-year licence. Fees are typically payable in two parts.
- Towns covered
- Knowsley
What this means for you
If you let a property in the Knowsley Council area, the first step 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 current designations before you advertise. Designations, fees and boundaries change regularly, so check the council's own licensing pages before each new tenancy rather than relying on what applied last time. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, a written tenancy agreement is required for all new tenancies, and a property information pack must be provided. Always keep a current gas safety record, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all other required prescribed documents.
Official links
Licensing designations, fees and boundaries change regularly. This page is a general summary, not legal advice — always confirm the position for the exact address with Knowsley Council before letting. Last reviewed 1 October 2026.