North West · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Cheshire West and Chester
✓ Hand-verified 18 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Cheshire West and Chester does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
One payment.
Cheshire West and Chester, read 19 August 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council HMO page states "Certain HMOs require a HMO licence. A HMO licence is required when there are 5 or more unrelated people sharing. The licence is mandatory and includes conditions on property management, fire safety, kitchen and bathroom facilities, room sizes and waste disposal provision". No selective designation, consultation or decision exists on the council website or its consultation portal. a third-party legal site claims the council operates selective licensing in parts of Chester; that is contradicted by the absence of any first-party designation and most plausibly conflates licensing with the Chester Article 4 Directions, which are planning control.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council HMO SPD refers to additional licensing only as a general power councils have, confirming CWAC has not adopted one, and the fees page carries a single mandatory schedule with no additional or selective tier. Fee: "GBP 786: up to six habitable rooms; seven; eight; nine; 10 or more", with a 10 percent reduction for Cheshire Landlord Accreditation Scheme members. King Street Chester Article 4 Direction made 8 April 2015, in force 2 May 2016, plus a Garden Quarter area.
Common questions
Does Cheshire West and Chester have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Cheshire West and Chester does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Cheshire West and Chester have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Cheshire West and Chester does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Cheshire West and Chester?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Cheshire West and Chester, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
All property licensing in North West →
Source: Cheshire West and Chester licensing page →
Every landlord in Cheshire West and Chester also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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