Selective licensing in Blackpool
Yes. Blackpool operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need a selective licence in Blackpool?
Yes. Blackpool operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Blackpool does the scheme cover?
Bloomfield, Brunswick, Claremont, Talbot, Tyldesley, Warbreck, Waterloo and Victoria wards. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Blackpool's scheme end?
The designation runs until 31 March 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£772. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Blackpool before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part 1 | £354 |
| Part 2 | £418 |
| Total | £772 |
| Each unit | £95 |
- Change of ownership £140
- Discounts off Part 2: £200 Blackpool Standard met on inspection, £100 EPC A-C
Blackpool, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
Blackpool operates a selective licensing scheme covering the eight inner wards of Bloomfield, Brunswick, Claremont, Talbot, Tyldesley, Warbreck, Waterloo and Victoria, taking in roughly 11,000 privately rented properties. The scheme began on 1 April 2025, when applications opened, and landlords in the designated area were required to apply by 1 October 2025. It runs for five years. Within those wards every privately rented home needs a licence regardless of how many people occupy it, subject to the usual exemptions, so an ordinary flat or a house let to a single household is caught as well as shared housing. The standard fee for a single dwelling is £772 for the whole five-year period. The council states that the scheme generates no profit and that fee income is returned to running it and supporting landlords. Letting an unlicensed property inside a designated ward is a criminal offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order. The £40,000 ceiling applies to offences committed on or after 1 May 2026; the £30,000 ceiling still applies to offences committed before that date.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Blackpool before letting.