North West
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
Free, occasional licensing updates only. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Covers parts of Seaforth, Waterloo, Brighton-le-Sands and central Southport. Two designated sub-areas: (1) Waterloo/Seaforth/Brighton-le-Sands area; (2) central Southport area. An estimated 33% of Sefton's private rented sector HMO accommodation is in these areas.
This is a re-designation of the original Additional (HMO) Licensing scheme which ran 1 March 2018 to 28 February 2023. 81% of service requests related to HMOs over 3.5 years of the first scheme were from the designated areas. Applications require: applicant/licence holder/manager/owner details, criminal history disclosure, accreditation details, planning status, safety certificates (gas, electrical, fire safety, EPC), tenancy agreements, proof of ID. Licence holder must be UK-resident. Application process: apply online with £250 deposit; council processes form; Notice of Intention to Grant issued with 14-day representation period; balance fee requested; licence issued; property inspection arranged. Property types covered: Houses in Multiple Occupation rented to at least 3 people who are not part of the same family, including: (a) properties of any storey count with 3-4 occupants comprising 2 or more households sharing basic amenities (kitchen, bathroom, WC); (b) properties converted into self-contained flats under Section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 where more than one-third are rented on a short-term basis. Covers a broader range of HMO types than mandatory licensing. Exception: properties with 5 or more occupants in 2 or more households sharing amenities require Mandatory (HMO) Licensing instead.. Exemptions or exclusions: Full exemptions list available in the council's exemptions document. Properties requiring Mandatory HMO Licensing are excluded. Standard statutory exemptions apply..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Applies borough-wide across all of Sefton Metropolitan Borough
Applies under national legislation across the whole borough. Apply online at housinglicensing.sefton.gov.uk. Unlicensed properties can be reported to landlord.licensing@sefton.gov.uk. Fee structure current from 1 April 2023 per official Sefton website. Property types covered: Properties occupied by 5 or more people comprising 2 or more separate family units (households), where occupants share basic amenities such as bathroom, kitchen, or toilet facilities, or where units lack fully self-contained facilities. Includes shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals, properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities, and properties converted into a mix of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covers a large proportion of Bootle across Derby, Linacre, and Litherland wards. A full list of included streets is published in a PDF on the council website.
This is a re-designation of the original scheme which ran 1 March 2018 to 28 February 2023. The first scheme removed over 3,000 serious health and safety hazards from licensed properties. Third-party data (Kamma, July 2025) reports 58% of properties initially failed inspections but 98% achieved compliance after intervention. The council holds a map of the selective licensing area and a list of included streets as downloadable PDFs. Enforcement includes criminal prosecution, civil penalties up to £30,000 per property, and rent repayment orders up to 12 months. Non-resident landlords must appoint a UK-resident representative as licence holder. Property types covered: All privately rented properties within the designated Bootle area, including single-family rented houses and flats, converted and purpose-built blocks of flats, and all types of HMOs as defined under Sections 254 and 257 of the Housing Act 2004 (except those meeting the prescribed description for Mandatory HMO Licensing). Exemptions or exclusions: Owner-occupied properties (main residence) properties let to tenants of registered housing providers (housing associations) care homes and similar facilities properties subject to management orders and exemption notices properties requiring Mandatory HMO licensing host families for foreign students studying short periods homes with lodgers student accommodation directly managed by educational institutions.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covered parts of Seaforth, Waterloo, Brighton-le-Sands and central Southport (same areas as current scheme)
Ran concurrently with the first Selective Licensing scheme. Both schemes were re-designated together following a consultation ending 31 July 2022. Succeeded by the 2023-2028 Additional (HMO) Licensing scheme. Property types covered: Houses in Multiple Occupation rented to at least 3 people who are not part of the same family in designated areas.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covered all privately rented accommodation in the Bootle area. Application deadline was 1 September 2018.
Original scheme approved by Cabinet on 21 September 2017. Resulted in removal of over 3,000 serious health and safety hazards from licensed properties. Showed improvements in property conditions, crime and ASB. Succeeded by the 2023-2028 re-designation scheme. Property types covered: All privately rented accommodation in Bootle including houses, flats, and HMOs (except mandatory HMO properties). Exemptions or exclusions: Standard exemptions as per Housing Act 2004.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
27 March 2026
Research confidence
High (77/100)
Sources checked
10
All three active schemes confirmed from official sefton.gov.uk pages with scheme names, start/end dates, covered wards, fee structures, and contact information. The expired 2018-2023 schemes are confirmed from multiple official sources. The public register access method is explicitly documented on the official page. Fee figures cross-referenced between official council pages and Kamma (third-party, noted as July 2025). Minor gaps: selective licensing deposit amount stated as £150 (from official page) but deposit for HMO schemes is £250; exact streets/maps are in PDFs not fetched. Ward names for additional HMO scheme taken from Kamma (third-party) as official pages reference maps/PDFs rather than listing wards by name.
The register is not searchable online. To view the register, either attend the council's offices in person (appointment required) or request an electronic copy by emailing landlord.licensing@sefton.gov.uk or calling 0345 140 0845 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm). Covers all housing licences and temporary exemption notices granted under the Housing Act 2004. The housing licensing application portal (housinglicensing.sefton.gov.uk) contains a representations search feature but is not a public property register.
Supporting sources
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council.
Applies borough-wide across all of Sefton Metropolitan Borough
Applies under national legislation across the whole borough. Apply online at housinglicensing.sefton.gov.uk. Unlicensed properties can be reported to landlord.licensing@sefton.gov.uk. Fee structure current from 1 April 2023 per official Sefton website. Property types covered: Properties occupied by 5 or more people comprising 2 or more separate family units (households), where occupants share basic amenities such as bathroom, kitchen, or toilet facilities, or where units lack fully self-contained facilities. Includes shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals, properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities, and properties converted into a mix of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Understand additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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