Additional HMO licensing · Bolton Council
Bolton Council borough-wide additional licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (approved by Cabinet on 17 August 2026; designation not yet published)
- Status
- Proposed
- Fee
- £1,211 per property for a licence of up to five years: £711 when you apply and £500 once the council has issued a draft licence and before the licence is issued. These are the fees Cabinet agreed on 17 August 2026; check them when the scheme opens, expected in early 2027.
- Applies to
- From its start date (expected early 2027), HMOs anywhere in Bolton that don't need a mandatory licence: homes let to three or four people from two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Also converted blocks of self-contained flats that don't meet the 1991 Building Regulations where less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied (section 257 HMOs). HMOs of five or more people already need a mandatory licence.
Our records last verified 19 October 2026 · council designation page
Area covered
The scheme covers the whole of Bolton Council. Every privately rented property in the borough that meets the scheme’s criteria needs a licence, wherever it is.
What this means for landlords
Additional HMO licensing extends licensing to shared homes below the national 5-person mandatory threshold. If your property in this area houses unrelated sharers, check the scheme’s occupancy criteria. Running a licensable HMO without a licence carries the same penalties as any licensing offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent.
Is your property inside the scheme area?
This checker reflects HouseFile’s records of council licensing designations, not the councils’ live registers. Our records indicate the position at the verification date shown on each result. Schemes are designated, renewed and revoked throughout the year, and postcode-level lookups are approximate near scheme boundaries. Always confirm with the council before letting or buying a property, using the source link on each card. This is general information, not legal advice.
If you hold a licence here, HouseFile can track its renewal date
14 days free · no card needed