Section 257 additional HMO licensing designation

Additional HMO Licensing

Salford City Council has designated an Additional HMO Licensing Scheme across Salford. Under the scheme, all properties that meet the definition of a Section 257 House in Multiple Occupation (S257 HMO), as defined by the Housing Act 2004, must be licensed by the council unless a statutory exemption applies.

A Section 257 HMO is typically a building that:

• has been converted into self-contained flats;

• the conversion does not fully comply with the relevant Building Regulations standard; and

• less than two thirds of the flats are owner occupied.

Full details of what constitutes a Section 257 HMO can be found on our Section 257 House in multiple occupation (S257 HMO) definition page.

If a licence is granted, it will be subject to a number of conditions that the licence holder must comply with throughout the licence period. A copy of the proposed licence conditions can be found below.

The scheme will commence on 24 November 2026 and will last for five years. All licences will end on 24 November 2031.

Enforcement

Operating a licensable property without the required licence is a criminal offence and may result in:

• prosecution;

• a financial penalty of up to £40,000 as an alternative to prosecution;

• a rent repayment order; and/or

• the council taking action to ensure the property is properly managed.

A licence holder may also commit an offence by failing to comply with any condition attached to their licence.

The licence conditions applicable to the S257 Additional HMO Licensing Scheme can be found below.

For further information on how the council responds to non-compliance, please refer to the council's Enforcement Policy.

Licence fees

The fees below apply where Steps 1, 2 and 3 of the application process have been completed and all required supporting documentation has been uploaded.

A discounted fee is available to accredited landlords. To qualify for the discount, both the landlord and the property must be accredited before 19 November 2026.

The fees are set out below according to the size of the S257 HMO and the type of application being made.

What is Additional HMO Licensing?

The Housing Act 2004 gives local authorities the power to introduce additional licensing schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) that are not subject to Mandatory HMO Licensing.

An Additional HMO Licensing Scheme allows a local authority to require certain types of HMO, within a designated area or across the whole local authority area, to be licensed.

Under Salford's S257 Additional HMO Licensing Scheme, all properties that meet the definition of a S257 HMO must be licensed, unless a statutory exemption applies.

Any licence granted under the scheme will be subject to conditions that the licence holder must comply with throughout the licence period.

The S257 Additional HMO Licensing Scheme applies across the whole of Salford.

Why introduce Additional HMO Licensing?

Privately rented housing, including S257 HMOs has grown considerably within Salford and is an important part of providing a range of housing in the city, so it is important that the properties:

• are of a good standard

• are safe for tenants, and

• are well managed

The council believes that introducing additional licensing for Section 257 HMOs will help to:

• improve property conditions within these HMOs

• improve management standards

A formal consultation took place before the scheme commenced.

The results of the consultation are available to download at the bottom of the page.

You can still view the full consultation report on the consultation page.

Licence conditions

As a licence holder you must adhere to the additional licensing conditions, which can be downloaded below.

How to apply - application will go live shortly

You will be able to apply for a S257 Additional HMO Licence through our dedicated HMO application webpage shortly. A link to the application page will be published here as soon as it goes live.

Further details

• Write to us at Landlord Licensing Team, Salford City Council, Chorley Road, Swinton, Salford, M27 5BY

• Email us at: landlord.licensing@salford.gov.uk 

• Call us on: 0161 793 3344