Darlington: five-year HMO licences and borough-wide planning approval
Darlington Borough Council says mandatory licensing covers many HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more households, with the former three-storey requirement removed from 1 October 2018. Its planning page says that from 28 July 2026 all HMOs in the borough require planning approval. The licensing page retains older wording, so both official positions need careful reading.
The current licensing explanation
Darlington's HMO page first describes the historical test of three or more storeys and five or more people forming at least two households. It then says mandatory licensing was extended from 1 October 2018 to many smaller HMOs occupied by five or more people in two or more households and that the three-storey requirement was removed. The later wording should be treated as the current explanation, without hiding the historical wording.
Fees and term
A Part A licence application is displayed at £217. Part B for a five-year HMO licence is £155 per letting. A variation is £124 and other HMO activities are charged at £65 per hour. A licence normally lasts for a maximum of five years, although a shorter period may be used.
Management orders and temporary exemption
Darlington may issue an interim management order for up to one year or a final management order for up to five years, with possible renewal. A Temporary Exemption Notice can last up to three months, and the council describes a second TEN where the situation has not been resolved. When the exemption expires, the property must be licensed, become subject to an interim management order or cease to be an HMO.
Other enforcement figures need care
The private-sector housing fees page lists civil penalties up to £30,000 for specified offences and a £465 Housing Act legal-notice charge, but it does not establish that every listed penalty applies to operating an unlicensed HMO. The precise HMO enforcement policy and treatment of unlicensed operation were UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website.
Planning position has a wording conflict
Darlington's planning page says that from 28 July 2026 all HMOs within the borough require planning approval, whereas its separate HMO page says an Article 4(1) Direction for HMOs will come into place on that date. As at 28 August 2026, the stated date is treated as a current planning control, but the future-tense wording should be checked against the confirmed direction for the property. Planning approval does not replace an HMO licence.
Local licensing schemes
Current additional and selective licensing schemes, areas, dates and fees were UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. Check the address and intended occupancy rather than assuming the planning change answers the licensing question.
Keep the universal tenancy file complete
Every Darlington tenancy still needs annual gas safety, a five-yearly EICR, a valid EPC, deposit protection within 30 days, Right to Rent checks, working smoke and CO alarms and the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet.
Verify current Darlington HMO fees, term, register, local schemes, enforcement, planning approval and Article 4 direction via the council's official pages. Illustrative guide - charges and directions change; general information, not legal advice.
Renewal tracked from expiry, reminders from 60 days out, proof of service to tenants logged. Knows the 2-month early-renewal rule that keeps your date fixed.
Five years goes quicker than you think. Kept remembers so you don't have to - including the 28-day duty to give tenants a copy.
Expiry tracked from the certificate details you confirm - band E is the current minimum for most domestic private lets unless exempt, and proposed changes are flagged only when they become law.
30-day protection window tracked from the day the money lands - not the tenancy date - with prescribed information logged.
Check dates and follow-up dates for time-limited permissions, stored against each tenant.
Smoke alarms every storey, CO alarms where required, checked and dated at the start of every tenancy.
A one-off duty for tenancies that existed on 1 May 2026. Who was served, when, and how - the £7,000 question, answered with a dated record.
Preparation and export support for the future official registration process - clearly marked as planned.
Selective licensing: UNVERIFIED - could not confirm on council website. See the local picture above - every other duty applies exactly as it does nationwide.
Add a postcode and Kept resolves the council, location and local context automatically.
Planned preparation and export support for the government's regional PRS Database rollout.