Greater Manchester · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Salford
✓ Hand-verified 21 Aug 2026Salford operates discretionary property licensing. Letting an unlicensed property where a scheme applies risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000 and a rent repayment order — check whether your property is covered below.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part 1 | £291 |
| Part 2 | £970 |
| Total | £970 |
| Each bedroom | £40 |
- Renewal £895
Salford — salford.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
Salford City Council operates MULTIPLE selective licensing schemes. As of April 2026: (A) Ran from 20 November 2019 until 19 November 2024 — NOW EXPIRED. May or may not be re-designated. Verify with Salford Council. (B) Came into force on 1 September 2022 and runs until 31 August 2027 (5-year designation). Covers parts of Barton & Winton ward and Eccles ward. Designated under Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004. (C) Approved at Cabinet decision on 23 September 2025. Following the consultation that ran 28 October 2024 to 20 January 2025, Salford launched this third selective licensing scheme in early 2026. Covers parts of Broughton and Kersal that were previously part of a selective licensing scheme that ran from 2016 to 2021. Proposed licence fee range £650-£800. Verify the exact commencement date and current scope at salford.gov.uk/housing/information-for-landlords/landlord-licensing/selective-licensing-proposal-in-broughton-and-kersal . Designations under section 80 of the Housing Act 2004. Schemes are based on poor property conditions, anti-social behaviour, and (for Broughton and Kersal) low housing demand. All privately rented properties (single-family, single-person, couples, families) within the designated wards or part-wards. HMOs are licensed under the Mandatory or Additional schemes instead. Use Salford's interactive map / licensing area tool to confirm whether a specific property is in a designated area — particularly for Broughton and Kersal where coverage is limited to specific streets including Bury New Road (contact Landlord Licensing on 0161 793 3344 to confirm). Up-to-date gas and electrical safety certificates; smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed and maintained; written terms of occupancy provided to tenants; tenant references obtained; safe furniture and electrical appliances; fit and proper person test for licence holder; anti-social behaviour management; waste management responsibility. Verify current Salford fees at salford.gov.uk/housing/information-for-landlords/landlord-licensing/how-will-licensing-work/how-much-will-it-cost. Discounts available for accredited landlords and early-bird applications. Operating an unlicensed property in a designated area is a criminal offence. Civil financial penalty up to £30,000 per offence. Unlimited fine on conviction. Rent Repayment Orders. Section 21 invalid where unlicensed. Landlord Licensing Team, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford M27 5BY / landlord.licensing@salford.gov.uk / 0161 793 3344.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
- Broughton, and Kersal and Broughton Park: commences 21 January 2026, ends 20 January 2031, tiered by application date, early accredited £390, early applicant £450, rising to the £609 base from 22 July 2026
Salford, read 24 August 2026
Scheme runs until: 31 August 2027
Salford's city-wide additional HMO licensing designation has EXPIRED by its own terms. The council's page states: "The scheme commenced on 19 July 2021 and will last for five years. All licences will end on 19 July 2026." It covered small HMOs of three or four occupiers city-wide at a fee of £1,085. That end date passed a month before this audit, and no replacement designation exists. The only forward activity is a PROPOSED section 257 city-wide additional scheme: Cabinet approved consultation on 27 January 2026 and the statutory consultation ran 4 February to 15 April 2026, finding that of 425 section 257 HMOs reviewed, 99 per cent failed to meet basic housing standards. A consultation is not a designation. Salford's selective scheme is a separate live Part 3 designation. Established 21 Aug 2026.
Common questions
Does Salford have a selective licensing scheme?
Yes. Salford operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a property covered by it without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
Does Salford have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Salford 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 Salford?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Salford, 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
Selective licensing in Salford: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in Greater Manchester →
Source: Salford licensing page →
Every landlord in Salford 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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