Bury: mandatory HMO licensing and a pending Article 4 confirmation

Use the current five-person guidance

Bury's current HMO page uses the five-person threshold: five or more occupants, two or more households and shared kitchen, bathroom or toilet facilities. It covers houses, flats, bedsits and converted buildings with non-self-contained accommodation. An older mandatory-licensing guide still describes a three-storey limit; that conflict should remain visible, but the current operational page is the stronger evidence.

Registration comes before payment

Bury requires the property manager, proposed licence holder and HMO property to be registered in sequence. The manager and proposed licence holder each need a basic DBS check dated within the previous three months, and the property registration cannot proceed until both people are approved. Payment follows acknowledgement of the application.

Published fees and discounts

The current displayed fee is £685.50 for an HMO occupied by no more than five persons or lettings, plus £29 for each letting unit above five. Multiple applications submitted together receive a £66 discount applied to the total. Considering a new licence holder and issuing a new licence where no extra inspection is needed is displayed at £100.

TENs and management orders

A Temporary Exemption Notice lasts up to three months and a second notice may be issued. Once the second notice expires, the property must be licensed, become subject to an Interim Management Order or cease to be an HMO. Bury also describes Interim and Final Management Orders; a Final Management Order can last up to five years and may be renewed.

The register is a paid request

Bury maintains a public register, but access is by paid request. A copy costs £48 and is emailed as a PDF through the external council-linked service. Appeals normally go to the First-tier Tribunal within 28 days. The council says failure to apply for a licence can attract a fine of up to £20,000.

Article 4 is not finally settled

Bury's immediate HMO Article 4 Direction covers the entire borough and removes permitted-development rights for C3-to-C4 conversion involving small HMOs of up to six unrelated people. It took effect on 16 July 2026, but consultation ran until 27 August and a final confirmation decision was not located by 28 August 2026. Do not describe it as finally confirmed.

Verify current Bury HMO guidance, fees, applications, register, TENs and Article 4 status via the council's official pages. Illustrative guide - conflicting and pending material must be checked before action; general information, not legal advice.