North West · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Preston
✓ Hand-verified 19 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Preston 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.
One payment.
Preston — preston.gov.uk article 8469, read, read 19 Aug 2026
No active selective licensing scheme in Preston as of April 2026. In June 2025, Preston City Council Cabinet approved a public consultation on a proposed selective licensing pilot covering three wards: City Centre, Plungington and St Matthew's. The proposal followed a 2023-24 feasibility study by external consultants which found that the private rented sector accounts for around 22.4% of Preston's housing stock (more than double the level 20 years previously) and concluded that only some parts of the city met the statutory threshold for selective licensing. The three pilot wards were selected because a licence scheme was considered to have the most impact on poor conditions in those areas. The scheme has not yet been designated and landlords are not currently required to obtain a selective licence. Separately, in February 2026 the council made an Article 4 Direction restricting permitted development rights for new HMOs in specific areas — this is a planning control, not a licensing scheme.
No active additional HMO licensing scheme in Preston as of April 2026. The council's 2023 tender for a feasibility study explicitly examined the option of introducing both Selective and Additional Licensing schemes, but no additional licensing designation has been made. Only mandatory HMO licensing under the Housing Act 2004 and the 2018 Order applies — properties occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share basic amenities require a mandatory licence. Smaller HMOs (3 or 4 occupants) do not require a licence in Preston. Operating an unlicensed mandatory HMO is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine.
Common questions
Does Preston have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Preston 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 Preston have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Preston 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 Preston?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Preston, 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: Preston licensing page →
Every landlord in Preston 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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