Landlord Compliance in Reading & Berkshire.
Reading's additional HMO licensing scheme is now live. EPC band C is coming by 2030. Here is what Berkshire landlords need to know - at a glance.
Dates Reading & Berkshire landlords cannot miss
1 Mar 2026
Reading additional HMO scheme begins (3-4 person HMOs)
Every 5 yrs
EICR renewal for every rental property
Every 12 mo
Gas safety certificate renewal
By 2030
Proposed EPC band C target for rentals
28 Feb 2031
Reading additional scheme end date
Reading Additional Licensing
Reading's new HMO scheme, in numbers.
Since 1 March 2026, Reading Borough Council's additional licensing scheme captures smaller HMOs - not just the 5+ occupant properties covered by mandatory licensing. If you let a shared property in Reading, check whether you now need a licence.
See our HMO licensing service3-4
Person HMOs now caught in Reading
Borough-wide
Additional licensing coverage
Mar 2026 - Feb 2031
Scheme duration
Berkshire Coverage
Six councils, one team
Local scheme knowledge built in across every Berkshire authority.
Reading
Additional + mandatory HMO
Wokingham
Mandatory HMO
Bracknell Forest
Mandatory HMO
West Berkshire
Mandatory HMO
Windsor & Maidenhead
Mandatory HMO
Slough
Mandatory HMO
The Numbers
Compliance, quantified.
6
Berkshire councils we handle
5+
Occupants triggers mandatory HMO licence
£5,000
Max MEES fine for F/G EPC
12 mo
Rent repayment order exposure
Band C
Proposed 2030 rental target
5 yrs
HMO licence validity
Letting an unlicensed Reading HMO is a criminal offence.
Unlimited fines and rent repayment orders up to 12 months rent.
Official Guidance
Read it from the source
The official GOV.UK and HSE guidance we work to every day.
Local Compliance Guides
Berkshire Landlord Compliance Guides.
Practical, plain-English guides to the rules affecting landlords across Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and the rest of Berkshire.
Mandatory HMO licensing in Reading
Mandatory licensing applies to any HMO occupied by five or more people forming two or more households, sharing facilities. This is a national rule and applies across all of Berkshire, including Reading. If your Reading property meets this threshold, you must hold a mandatory HMO licence before letting it.
Reading additional licensing scheme (3-4 person HMOs)
Since 1 March 2026, Reading Borough Council operates a borough-wide additional licensing scheme that captures smaller HMOs occupied by three or four people forming two or more households sharing facilities. The additional scheme runs until 28 February 2031. If you let a shared property in Reading with three or more occupant households, you likely need a licence.
What if I am not sure?
Licensing rules depend on the number of occupants, the number of households and the layout of your property. We check the requirements for your specific Reading property as part of our HMO licensing service and handle the council application from start to finish.
Not sure where you stand?
Tell us about your Reading or Berkshire property and we will handle the rest.
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