Knowsley Council vs Liverpool City Council — Landlord Licensing Compared

Side-by-side comparison of selective and additional HMO licensing in Knowsley Council and Liverpool City Council. Reference data from each council's own pages and GOV.UK.

Neighbouring Merseyside councils commonly compared.

Knowsley Council (North West)

• Selective licensing: No scheme confirmed. Knowsley Council operates mandatory HMO licensing only. No selective licensing scheme identified on the council website.
• Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
• Council licensing page: https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/housing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmo/check-if-you-need-licence
• Council HMO page: https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/housing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmo
• Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/knowsley

Liverpool City Council (North West)

• Selective licensing: Designated areas only. Selective licensing scheme covering designated wards, started 1 April 2022. Postcode checker available on council site.
• Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
• Council licensing page: https://liverpool.gov.uk/selectivelicensing
• Council HMO page: https://liverpool.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits/landlord-licensing/houses-in-multiple-occupancy/apply-for-an-hmo-licence/
• Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/liverpool

Mandatory HMO licensing applies in both areas: any HMO occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households needs a licence anywhere in England.

Sources: - legislation.gov.uk — Housing Act 2004 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/contents - GOV.UK — House in multiple occupation (HMO) licence — https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

Last verified: 2026-06-28. Reference data only — always check each council's own page before applying.