Property management for St Helens landlords
Berber Property Management is a lettings agency based in Liverpool. We work with landlords across St Helens from our Liverpool base, helping them let their property out and then managing the tenancy day to day.
This page is for St Helens landlords who want a property manager, a lettings agency, or help letting a property for the first time. We do not have a St Helens office.
For fully managed lettings across the wider North West, including Merseyside, see our landlord services. If your property is in Liverpool, see our Liverpool property management page.
Photo: Rodhullandemu, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where we work in St Helens
We work with landlords across St Helens from our Liverpool base at Sandown Lane Business Centre, 21 Sandown Lane, Liverpool, L15 8HY. This is part of our work with landlords across the North West, including Merseyside. St Helens Borough includes the town of St Helens itself, the market town of Newton-le-Willows, and other places such as Rainhill, Haydock, Rainford and Eccleston. If you have a property in the borough, tell us the postcode and we can discuss the support you need.
HMO licensing in St Helens
Not every privately rented property in St Helens needs a licence. St Helens Borough Council’s landlord and HMO pages, checked on 14 November 2026, do not describe a selective licensing scheme, or an additional HMO licensing scheme, currently in force in the borough. An ordinary privately rented home let to a single household does not appear to need a selective licence in St Helens at the time of that check. Licensing rules can change, so use the council’s official pages when you let a property.
St Helens does have a mandatory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The council’s pages say that, since 1 October 2018, a licence is required where there are five or more occupants from two or more separate households who share facilities such as a bathroom, kitchen or toilet, and that the property no longer has to have three or more floors. The council’s licence application page describes this as a five-year licence, with an initial application followed by annual renewals.
The only reliable way to check whether a specific property needs an HMO licence is to use the council’s official guidance, or to ask the council. If the property sits outside the St Helens boundary, you need to check with the council that actually covers it.
- Houses in multiple occupation (St Helens Borough Council)
- Mandatory licensing laws for HMOs
- Licence applications and HMO licensing changes
- Online application for mandatory HMO licensing
- Information and guidance if you are a landlord
This is general guidance, not an address-specific licensing assessment or legal advice. Licence fees, discounts, exemptions and conditions are set by the council and can change, so use the official pages when you apply, including the licence applications page and the online application site.
Planning permission for HMOs in St Helens
HMO licensing and planning permission are separate. Even if a property does not need an HMO licence, a change of use can still raise planning questions. The council’s HMO planning page, checked on 14 November 2026, says that HMO applications for up to six occupants do not need planning permission for change of use, although external alterations may still require planning permission. Larger HMOs, typically those with more than six occupants, already need planning permission.
The council is also consulting on a proposed borough-wide Article 4 Direction. The council’s news page, last modified on 1 October 2026, says the proposal would require planning permission for the change of use of a family home to a small HMO. The consultation closes on 19 November 2026. If approved, the Direction would come into force on 1 December 2026. It is not in force as of 14 November 2026.
- Have your say on the proposed Article 4 Direction (St Helens Borough Council news)
- HMOs, planning permission and the HMO Supplementary Planning Document
- HMO Supplementary Planning Document, adopted January 2026 (PDF)
If you are unsure, contact the council’s planning team before converting or letting a property as an HMO. Check these official pages again before you act, because the position may change after the consultation closes.
How we help with licensing
Berber applies for and manages selective licences and HMO licences for landlords. If your St Helens property needs a licence, we can prepare and submit the application and help manage the licence as part of the agreed management service. A licence is not required for every St Helens rental, so we start by checking the address and the type of property against the council’s current rules. We cannot guarantee that a licence will be granted, or how long the council will take to decide. Council licence fees are set by the council and can change. Our own fees are confirmed in writing. This is a management service we provide, not legal advice.
How a St Helens let works with Berber
The exact scope, responsibilities and fees for your property are agreed with the team before you instruct us. Fees are confirmed in writing. We do not publish a tariff on this page.
A typical path looks like this:
- 01
Start with a rental valuation. Request a free rental valuation. Share the property details so the team can discuss its rental potential. An estimate is not a guaranteed rent, and a preferred valuation date is a request, not a confirmed appointment.
- 02
Check the address and documents. Confirm which council covers the property and whether HMO licensing or planning permission applies, using the council’s official pages where relevant. If a licence is needed, Berber can apply for and manage it for you. Gather the energy and safety records you already have, such as the EPC and gas and electrical safety documents. We can also support you with other compliance documentation as part of the agreed management service.
- 03
Agree who does what. Before you let the property, be clear which responsibilities you want to retain and which you want Berber to handle. We can talk this through with you.
- 04
Prepare, market and let the property. Our management service includes property photography and marketing, tenant referencing and right-to-rent checks, and inventory and condition records at the start of a tenancy.
- 05
Ongoing management. Once the tenancy is in place, we can handle rent collection, landlord statements, deposit administration, maintenance coordination and tenancy administration. Emergency maintenance is covered 24/7. Non-urgent issues reported outside office hours are picked up on the next working day. You can follow rent, maintenance and compliance documents in the Owner Dashboard.
If the property is already let and you want to change agents, the handover is explained on our landlords page. Changing agents is a transfer of management and records, not automatically a new tenancy.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a selective licence to let my property in St Helens?
St Helens Borough Council’s landlord and HMO pages, checked on 14 November 2026, do not describe a selective licensing scheme currently in force in the borough. An ordinary privately rented home let to a single household does not appear to need a selective licence at the time of that check. An HMO may still need a mandatory HMO licence. Use the council’s HMO licensing pages and landlord guidance, because the rules can change.
Can Berber help with a selective licence or an HMO licence?
Yes. Berber applies for and manages selective licences and HMO licences for landlords. Whether you need a licence still depends on the address and the type of property. We cannot guarantee the council’s decision or how long it will take.
Do I need planning permission to let my property as an HMO in St Helens?
It depends on the property and the number of occupants, and the rules may be about to change. The council’s planning page currently says that a change of use to an HMO with up to six occupants does not need planning permission, although external alterations may. The council is consulting on a proposed Article 4 Direction that, if approved, would come into force on 1 December 2026 and require planning permission for the change of use of a family home to a small HMO. Check the council news page and the HMO planning page before you act. Planning permission is separate from HMO licensing.
Can Berber manage my property if it is in St Helens?
Yes. We work with landlords across St Helens from our Liverpool base, and we also work with landlords across the wider North West. Tell us the postcode, whether the property is already let and which responsibilities you want to retain.
How do I let my property out in St Helens with Berber?
Start with a free rental valuation, then agree the management arrangements with the team. We can support you from marketing and tenant finding through to ongoing management, including licence applications where they are needed. The steps above set out how that usually works.
I already have a letting agent. Can I switch?
Yes. Speak to us about your existing agreement, tenancy arrangements and the records needed for a handover. The next steps and timing depend on those arrangements. See the switching process.
Do you have an office in St Helens?
No. We are based in Liverpool, and we work with landlords across St Helens from that base. We also provide fully managed lettings across the North West, including Merseyside. The landlords page explains the full service, and our Liverpool property management page covers properties in the city.
What does the management service cover?
The main stages are set out on our landlords page: rental valuation, marketing and photography, tenant referencing, rent collection and deposits, maintenance coordination, compliance documentation, move-in and move-out inventories, and tenancy administration. We also apply for and manage selective licences and HMO licences for landlords. Discuss the scope for your property with the team before instructing us.
Talk to us about your St Helens property
If you are ready to let a property in St Helens, or you want to review your current management arrangements, start with a free rental valuation or explore fully managed lettings. You can also call 0151 808 3091 or email info@berbergroup.co.uk. The office is at Sandown Lane Business Centre, 21 Sandown Lane, Liverpool, L15 8HY. It is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and is closed on bank holidays. Meet the team on our About page.