One fire service, 6 councils
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service covers the whole county. It is governed by the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, made up of 20 councillors from the 6 unitary councils. Its fire safety officers inspect workplaces, care homes and the common parts of residential buildings, and its enforcement register lists notices served.
Housing standards and HMO licensing sit with each council. Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire and Wokingham run these jointly through the Public Protection Partnership.
HMO licensing by Berkshire council
Mandatory licensing applies everywhere to HMOs with 5 or more people from 2 or more households. Additional licensing of smaller HMOs varies. The table shows what each council's own pages said in October 2026.
| Council | HMO licensing | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Additional licensing of 3+ person HMOs borough-wide, 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2031 | reading.gov.uk/hmo |
| Slough | Mandatory only. Consulted 15 July to 23 September 2026 on additional and selective licensing; decision pending | Slough property licensing |
| Bracknell Forest | Mandatory licensing, through the Public Protection Partnership | Bracknell Forest HMO guidance |
| Wokingham | Mandatory licensing, through the Public Protection Partnership | Wokingham HMOs |
| West Berkshire | Through the Public Protection Partnership. Check with the partnership for current schemes | Public Protection Partnership |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | Council page describes HMO licensing with no additional scheme named | RBWM HMOs |
Rented housing in Slough and Reading
Private renting has grown fastest in Berkshire's 2 largest towns. Between the 2011 and 2021 Censuses, the share of Slough households renting privately rose from 24.3% to 30.7%, the largest rise in the South East, and Reading's rose from 26.1% to 31.9%. Landlords in Slough should watch the outcome of the 2026 licensing consultation.
Travel and turnaround across Berkshire
Garrison FM is based in Reading. The fastest trains from Reading reach Slough in about 12 minutes, Newbury in about 14 minutes and Bracknell in about 16 minutes, and the M4 links Reading with Newbury, Maidenhead and Slough. The same prices apply across Berkshire: from £295 ex VAT for a small office or shop, £325 for a small block of flats and £395 for an HMO, with the report within 5 working days of the visit.
Sources
Checked on 9 October 2026.