HMO licensing in Blackpool

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,176, and £903 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Figures verified from Blackpool Council's 'Housing licence fees' page (last modified 2 July 2026). Mandatory HMO licence: first application £1,176, renewal application £903, charged as a single lump sum per property with no published instalment option. Separately, landlords of smaller privately rented properties (not meeting the mandatory HMO threshold) within the Inner Area selective licensing wards pay a different fee: £772 for a property occupied by one household plus £95 per additional letting unit, split into a non-refundable Part 1 'processing' fee of £354 payable on application and a Part 2 'running and enforcing' fee of £418 (plus £95 per additional unit) payable only if the application succeeds; a £140 fee applies for change of ownership of an existing licence. Discounts of £200 (or £100 for EPC A-C without meeting the Blackpool Standard) are available on the selective licence fee, with £20 per additional unit. A mandatory-licensable HMO does not also require a separate selective licence for the same property. Licences under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 (which covers mandatory HMO licensing) cannot exceed 5 years from the date of grant (Housing Act 2004, s.68(4)); Blackpool has not published a shorter standard term.

Check the current fee on the council website (blackpool.gov.uk) before you apply.

Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.

National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.

• Smoke alarms must be installed on every storey of the property that contains a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation (condition of Blackpool's Inner Area licence, consistent with the national HMO Management Regulations).
• A carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance (e.g. gas boiler, gas fire, solid fuel stove).
• Landlords must comply with the 'Housing - Fire Safety' guidance published by Local Government Regulation (formerly LACORS); Blackpool assesses fire precaution requirements for each HMO individually via a fire risk assessment, as requirements vary by property layout and size.
• Kitchens must be fitted with fire blankets and fire doors as determined by the property's fire risk assessment, plus an extractor fan capable of at least 6 air changes per hour.

• Shared bathroom facilities must scale with occupancy: up to 4 occupants sharing needs 1 wash hand basin, 1 toilet and 1 bath/shower; 5 occupants needs 2 wash hand basins and at least 1 toilet in its own compartment; 6-10 occupants needs 2 wash hand basins, 2 toilets and 2 baths/showers (at least 1 toilet in its own compartment); 11-15 occupants needs 3 of each (at least 2 toilets in their own compartments).
• A shared kitchen may serve a maximum of 5 people; beyond that, a kitchen must be provided in each unit of accommodation. Shared kitchens must be equipped with a sink with a 60°C constant hot water supply, a cooker with a minimum of 4 rings plus oven and grill, a minimum of 4 double electrical sockets, food storage cupboards (minimum one 500mm unit per person), and refrigerator space of at least 30 litres per person.
• Each unit of living accommodation must have adequate space heating capable of maintaining a 21°C temperature differential from an external temperature of -1°C; portable paraffin, oil-fired and LPG (bottled gas) heaters are not acceptable under any circumstances.
• Habitable rooms must have natural ventilation via an openable window of at least 1/20th of the floor area (or equivalent mechanical ventilation in kitchens/bathrooms), and natural lighting equivalent to at least one-tenth of the floor area.
• Persons of the opposite sex aged 10 or over who are not partners may not be required to share a bedroom, and no staircase, landing, kitchen or bathroom may be used as sleeping accommodation.

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — A current Gas Safety Certificate (obtained within the last 12 months) must be produced to the council annually as a condition of the Blackpool licence.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report / declaration confirming electrical appliances and installations are maintained in a safe condition, to be provided to the council on demand.
• EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property (minimum Band E), referenced in Blackpool's HMO space/amenity standards for self-contained flats within HMOs.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm declaration — Confirmation that mains-wired/interlinked smoke alarms are fitted on every storey with living accommodation, and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with fixed combustion appliances.
• Tenancy agreement / written terms — Written tenancy terms must be provided to occupiers at the start of their tenancy, per the licence's tenancy management conditions.

• blackpool.gov.uk
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• legislation.gov.uk

Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Blackpool Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.