Landlord licensing in Lancaster Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to any property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet.

Additional licensing

Lancaster City Council does not currently operate an additional licensing scheme for smaller HMOs. Designations run for up to five years and are ward- or street-specific. Always check the council's website for any future scheme proposals or current status updates.

Selective licensing

Lancaster City Council does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Always check the council's website for any future scheme proposals or current status updates.

Towns covered

Lancaster

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Lancaster City Council area, confirm the licensing regime for the exact address. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties let to five or more people forming two or more households who share facilities. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions commenced 2026) replaces assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies and ends section 21 no-fault evictions. It also introduces a national landlord database and ombudsman. Landlords must register with the national landlord register and hold an evidence pack for every tenancy. This pack should include a current gas safety record where applicable, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection with prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website