Housing Licensing
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Do you rent out accommodation e.g. houses, flats, bedsits or hostels?
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Do you let to private tenants, students, refugees, professional sharers, contract, seasonal or migrant workers at any time of the year? If the above applies to you then you may be operating a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) that needs a licence and this website is essential reading for you.
The Housing Act 2004 (Part 2) introduced the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation. HMO Licensing aims to ensure that large, higher risk HMOs meet minimum standards of safety, management and repair. It is now a mandatory duty for:
In Blackpool, a property is likely to need a licence under the National Mandatory Licensing Scheme if it is a building that:
- Has three or more storeys
- Is shared by five or more people in two or more households. This means that two or more of the occupants are unrelated to each other. A household can be a single person.
- Has any shared amenities such as toilet, bathroom or kitchen OR has at least one flat or bedsit that is not fully self-contained. This means that the occupant might have exclusive use of toilet, kitchen or washing facilities which are not within the flat.
- Is not owned/managed by a housing association, local authority or by police/health services.
Buildings converted into fully self-contained flats prior to 1992 are likely to be HMOs but do not need to be licensed at present under the current regulations. They are however, still subject to HMO Management Regulations and a 5 yearly inspection by the Local Authority. You must check to see if a licence is required for your property. It is a criminal offence carrying a maximum fine of £20,000 to operate an HMO without a licence if it requires one.
To request further information or an application form please contact us either by:
- Email: housing.licensing@blackpool.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01253 477477 and ask for Housing Licensing
- Post: Housing Licensing, Blackpool Council,125 Albert Road, Blackpool, FY1 4PW
Or you can now apply online using the link below:
(We are in the process of developing our on-line application form. The link will be supplied shortly.)
This application form can be used:
- To apply for a new licence
- To vary an existing licence
- To renew an expired licence
However, before proceeding with an application for an HMO licence please read the documents entitled 'Blackpool Landlords Guide to HMO's and Licensing' and 'A Guide to the HMO Licence Application Process' . These documents contain essential information to help you with your application and can be found in 'Publications' in the list on the right of this page.
Fit and Proper Person Assessment
This has to be completed as part of the application process by the proposed licence holder and manager on their first application. The forms are available under 'Publications' in the list on the right of this page.
Please return the completed assessment with copies of 2 forms of identity to:
Housing Licensing, Blackpool Council, 125 Albert Road, Blackpool FY1 4PW.
' Please see 'A Guide to the HMO Licence Application Process' under 'Publications' on the right for full details.
Links to other useful websites:
Link to Communities and Local Government Website (CLG)
Link to the Residential Property Tribunal Website
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