Can I apply for an HMO licence myself?
By Patrick Roper · Last reviewed 2026-06-30
Yes, you can apply for an HMO licence yourself directly through your council, and the council fee is the same whether you apply yourself or use a service. The effort is in identifying the right scheme, meeting the amenity and fire-safety standards, preparing a scaled floor plan and the declarations, and answering the council. A done-for-you service removes that work and the risk of an application being rejected as incomplete.
- Can you DIY?
- Yes, directly through your council · source: GOV.UK
- Council fee
- The same whether you apply yourself or use a service · source: GOV.UK
- Main effort
- Scheme check, floor plan, safety documents, declarations · source: GOV.UK
- Common reason for delay
- Incomplete applications and missing documents
You can apply for an HMO licence yourself. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor or an agent, and you submit the application directly to your local council. The council fee is set by the council and is the same amount whichever way you apply, so using a service never changes what the council charges.
The work sits in the detail. You need to confirm which scheme applies to your property, because a smaller share can fall under additional or selective licensing in some council areas and not others. You then need to meet the amenity standards (enough bathrooms, kitchens and room sizes for the number of occupants) and the fire-safety standards, prepare a scaled floor plan, gather current certificates such as the gas safety record and the electrical condition report, and complete the fit-and-proper-person declarations.
Most delays come from applications that are submitted incomplete. A missing certificate, an unclear floor plan or an amenity shortfall leads to back-and-forth with the council, and in some cases a refusal that means starting again. If you are comfortable with the paperwork and have time to handle the council questions, applying yourself is entirely doable.
A done-for-you service is worth it when you would rather not learn each council scheme, when you want the application checked before it goes in, or when you hold several properties and want them handled consistently. We complete and submit the whole application for you, and if we make an error that gets it rejected as incomplete, we fix it free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a solicitor to apply for an HMO licence?
No. There is no requirement to use a solicitor. You can apply directly to your council yourself, or use a preparation service. The council makes the licensing decision either way.
Is it cheaper to apply for an HMO licence myself?
The council fee is identical whether you apply yourself or use a service, so doing it yourself saves only the service fee. The trade-off is your time and the risk of a rejected or delayed application.
What is the hardest part of applying yourself?
Usually meeting the amenity and fire-safety standards, preparing an accurate floor plan, and making sure every required document is current before you submit. Incomplete applications are the main cause of delay.