North West · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Chorley
✓ Hand-verified 18 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Chorley does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
Chorley sets this fee under section 63(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Its current charge is not yet recorded here.
The council’s own licensing page carries the charge that applies today — confirm it there before you budget.
Not established is not the same as free.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council HMO page states "It is a legal requirement that a landlord must have a licence for a privately rented HMO if the property being rented out... Smaller HMOs (those occupied by 3 or 4 persons in 2 or more households) do not require a licence." That statement settles the discretionary question directly: no scheme catches smaller HMOs. The council publishes an HMO Action Plan, which is management and enforcement work rather than a designation.
Evidenced negative, council's own words (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): "Smaller HMOs (those occupied by 3 or 4 persons in 2 or more households) do not require a licence." An additional licensing designation is precisely what would catch 3 to 4 person HMOs, so this sentence establishes there is none. No consultation or committee decision on discretionary licensing found 2020-2026.
Common questions
Does Chorley have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Chorley does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Chorley have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Chorley does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Chorley?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Chorley, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
All property licensing in North West →
Source: Chorley licensing page →
Every landlord in Chorley also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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