Property Licence

Council licensing report

Landlord licensing in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough runs at least one local property licensing scheme. Some rules apply to the whole council. Others apply only to listed streets, wards, or mapped areas, so the postcode alone does not always give a yes-or-no answer.

What landlords need to know

Status

Middlesbrough

Selective
Mandatory HMO (national)
Selective licensing
3 active
Additional HMO licensing
None listed
Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies nationally
Local scheme coverage
Listed streets or areas
Active local schemes
2 active schemes
Last checked
18 Sept 2026

Check a postcode and address in Middlesbrough

Enter the postcode to confirm the council, then pick the address. If a scheme uses a street list, we check the selected street against it and give a direct yes or no.

Local schemes in Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Newport 1 selective landlord licensing phase 2

Selective licensing · active · Listed streets · 23 Jul 2024 to 22 Jul 2029

Coverage
Listed streets
Fee
£998

Middlesbrough Newport 1 selective landlord licensing applies to listed streets in part of Newport ward from 23 July 2024 to 22 July 2029.

Show the 39 streets covered by this scheme

Albany Street, Aske Road, Athol Street, Bow Street, Cadogan Street, Clifton Street, Cobham Street, Colville Street, Craven Street, Diamond Road, Enfield Street, Falkland Street, Faraday Street, Finsbury Street, Garnet Street, Glebe Road, Gresham Road, Harewood Street, Howe Street, Linthorpe Road, Lonsdale Street, Lovaine Street, Outram Street, Palmer Street, Parliament Road, Peel Street, Pelham Street, Percy Street, Portman Street, Princes Road, Romney Street, Ross Street, Selbourne Street, St Aidan's Street, Stowe Street, Tennyson Street, Union Street, Wentworth Street, Wylam Street.

Read more about Middlesbrough selective licensing

Middlesbrough Newport 2 selective landlord licensing

Selective licensing · active · Listed streets · 3 Jul 2023 to 2 Jul 2028

Coverage
Listed streets
Fee
£878

Middlesbrough Newport 2 selective landlord licensing applies to listed streets in part of Newport ward from 3 July 2023 to 2 July 2028.

Show the 63 streets covered by this scheme

Aire Street, Alwent Road, Ammerston Road, Annie Street, Ayresome Green Lane, Ayresome Street, Beaufort Street, Bowley Walk, Calthorpe Court, Carey Close, Carlow Street, Charlie Woods Way, Chester Street, Costa Street, Crescent Road, Derwent Street, Donegal Terrace, Eshwood Square, Essex Street, Fallows Court, Faverdale Close, Fleetham Street, Foxheads Court, Garrett Walk, Gough Close, Greta Street, Harford Street, Hornby Close, Howard Street, Ketton Row, Ketton Way, Kildare Street, Lamport Street, Laycock Street, Lees Road, Leinster Road, Leven Street, Linthorpe Road (Parkview Flats only), Longford Street, Lorne Street, Meath Street, Mills Street, Nesham Road, Newport Road, Newport Terrace, Nugent Avenue, Orwell Street, Oxford Street, Petch Close, Salisbury Court, Southwell Court, St Albans Court, St Paul's Road, Surrey Street, Teare Close, Union Court, Victoria Street, Warwick Street, Waterford Terrace, Wembley Street, Wesley Row, Wicklow Street, Worcester Street.

Read more about Middlesbrough selective licensing

Middlesbrough North Ormesby selective landlord licensing

Selective licensing · expired · Listed streets · 14 Jun 2021 to 13 Jun 2026

Coverage
Listed streets
Fee
£845

Middlesbrough North Ormesby selective landlord licensing applies to listed streets from 14 June 2021 to 13 June 2026.

Show the 69 streets covered by this scheme

Allinson Street, Alphonsus Street, Basil Street, Beaumont Road, Benedict Street, Bristow Street, Cadogan Street, Calvert Close, Church Walk, Coltman Street, Constance Street, Conyers Way, Coronation Street, De Brus Court, Deacon Street, Derwent Street, Dorothy Street, Edward Street, Elizabeth Terrace, Esk Street, Forum Court, Frederick Street, Grove Road, Hankin Road, Harrison Street, Henry Street, Herbert Street, Hovingham Street, James Street, Jefferson Street, Jubilee Street, Kildale Court, Kindersley Street, Kings Road, Kreuger Alley, Livingstone Road, Longlands Road, Macbean Street, Magdalen Street, Maltby Street, Margaret Street, Maria Street, Market Place, Market Walk, McCreton Street, Millfield Road, Moses Street, Mosman Terrace, Norcliffe Street, Oakfield Road, Orme Court, Peaton Street, Pilkington Street, Ryedale Street, Sadberge Street, Saxon Close, Sharrock Close, South View Terrace, Stainton Street, Thomas Street, Thornton Street, Trinity Mews, Tunstall Street, Veronica Street, Wake Street, Warton Street, West Terrace, Westbourne Grove, White Street.

Read more about Middlesbrough selective licensing

How each scheme is scoped in Middlesbrough

A property licensing scheme is not the same everywhere. A council can designate the whole borough, a handful of wards, a list of streets, or a boundary drawn on a map. Whichever option Middlesbrough chose changes how confident you can be from the postcode alone.

Middlesbrough Newport 1 selective landlord licensing phase 2

This scheme covers 39 named streets. Two houses on the same postcode can end up with different answers if the scheme covers one street and not the next.

Middlesbrough Newport 2 selective landlord licensing

This scheme covers 63 named streets. Two houses on the same postcode can end up with different answers if the scheme covers one street and not the next.

Common rental setups in Middlesbrough

The right licence depends on who lives in the property, how the household is structured, and where the property sits in the council area. These are the situations we see most often, with what Middlesbrough's current rules say about each.

Single tenant in a flat or studio

Licence needed

One adult renting a self-contained flat or a studio with their own kitchen and bathroom.

May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Middlesbrough's designated scheme area.

Couple renting a whole house

Licence needed

Two people from one household renting an entire house on one tenancy.

May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Middlesbrough's designated scheme area.

Family renting a whole house

Licence needed

Parents and dependent children from one household renting an entire house.

May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Middlesbrough's designated scheme area.

Three sharers from different households

Worth confirming

Three friends or three unrelated tenants on a joint tenancy, sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

Selective licensing can still catch a small HMO if the property sits inside Middlesbrough's scheme area. Confirm with the council before letting.

Four sharers from different households

Worth confirming

Four unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

Selective licensing can still catch a small HMO if the property sits inside Middlesbrough's scheme area. Confirm with the council before letting.

Five or more sharers from different households

Licence needed

Five or more unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific. An additional HMO licence is not also required.

Lodger with a live-in landlord

No licence needed

Owner-occupier letting a room to one or two lodgers in their own home.

Letting to a lodger while you live in the property is exempt from HMO licensing in most cases. Selective licensing exemptions also normally cover owner-occupier lets.

Student house of five

Licence needed

Five students from at least two households sharing a converted house.

Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific. An additional HMO licence is not also required.

Buying a property in Middlesbrough

A property licence does not transfer when a property changes hands. If you buy a let property that needs a licence under Middlesbrough's rules, the existing licence ends and you need to apply for a new one in your own name. The seller's solicitor should disclose any existing licence and any open enforcement notices.

For conveyancing in Middlesbrough, ask three things before exchange. First, is the property inside any current selective or additional HMO scheme area. Second, is there an active licence in the seller's name and on what conditions. Third, has the council issued a civil penalty, banning order or rent repayment order against the seller in the last six years.

Owner-occupiers buying to live in the property do not need a licence. The rules only apply when a property is rented out.

Anything on this page that you cannot find an answer to, the council's licensing team can confirm in minutes.