Blackburn with Darwen: mandatory HMO licensing and planning first

The mandatory HMO test

Blackburn with Darwen's mandatory licensing page covers rented properties occupied by five or more unrelated people who share facilities such as a kitchen, toilet or bathroom. The licence records the maximum permitted occupants and can include conditions about gas, electrical and fire safety, alarms, written occupation terms, repairs, anti-social behaviour and manager training.

Planning comes before the application

The council tells new applicants to obtain planning permission first and provide the planning reference with the HMO application. This is a local process requirement in the application guidance, while planning permission and the licence remain legally separate checks. Keep the decision notice, plans and certificates together.

The displayed fee is based on lets

The current displayed fee is £950 for up to ten lets, plus £50 for each let above ten. Applications use the council's Digital Customer Portal. Recent DBS evidence and gas, electrical and fire-safety certificates are required, and a renewal should be submitted at least twelve weeks before the existing licence expires.

The register is available by request

Blackburn with Darwen publishes a licensed HMO register page and says full register information can be requested. The copy fee is £50. No separate address checker or map was confirmed in the material reviewed, so use the register and council application route together when checking a property.

Penalty wording depends on the breach

Failure to apply or renew, exceeding permitted occupancy or breaching conditions can lead to prosecution and an unlimited fine, a civil penalty of up to £30,000, or for a condition breach up to £5,000 per condition. The council also states that the right to manage the property may be lost. No current Blackburn-specific Temporary Exemption Notice or rent repayment order route was confirmed.

Historical selective material is not enough

Hollins Bank material in the council's official records is historical, consultation or decision material and was not confirmed as a live selective designation. Every tenancy still needs gas safety, EICR, EPC, deposit protection, Right to Rent checks, working alarms and the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet.

Verify current fees, application evidence, register information and any local designation via Blackburn with Darwen Council's official private housing pages. Illustrative guide - schemes, fees and enforcement change; general information, not legal advice.