Liverpool City Council vs Sefton Council — Landlord Licensing Compared

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

Adjacent Merseyside authorities; Liverpool has a city-wide scheme.

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

Sefton Council (North West)

• Selective licensing: Designated areas only. Selective and Additional HMO Licensing Schemes 2023-2028 covering designated areas of Sefton.
• Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
• Council licensing page: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/landlord-licensing-and-accreditation/selective-licensing-2023-2028/
• Council HMO page: https://www.sefton.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/landlord-licensing-and-accreditation/mandatory-hmo-licensing/
• Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/sefton

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.