Property Licence

Salford licensing / Selective licensing

Selective licensing in Salford

Active in Salford

Selective licensing applies to most private rented homes inside a designated area. Salford has at least one active selective scheme. The detail below is built from the council's own pages.

What selective licensing actually means

A council can designate any part of its area for selective licensing under Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004. Inside the designated area, almost every privately rented home needs a licence, whether the property is a single-family let, a small flat, or a house shared by a couple.

Selective licensing is not about HMOs. The rule keys off the fact that the home is privately rented, not how many people live in it or how many households share it.

Renting out without a licence inside a designated area is a criminal offence. Councils can apply a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence, and tenants can apply for a rent repayment order of up to 12 months of rent.

Check an address against the scheme

Enter the postcode and pick the address. We check the selected street against the council's published scheme area and tell you whether the licence applies.

Salford selective licensing schemes

Salford Broughton, Kersal and Broughton Park selective licensing 2026 to 2031

Selective licensing · active · Listed streets

Coverage
Listed streets
Runs
21 Jan 2026 to 20 Jan 2031
Term
5 years
Fee per property
£609

Salford selective licensing applies to privately rented properties in the listed Broughton, Kersal and Broughton Park streets from 21 January 2026 to 20 January 2031.

The scheme covers 147 named streets. The postcode tells you the council, but only the street name confirms whether the property is in scope. Adjacent streets can have different answers.

Base fee from 22 July 2026 is £609 for a first application and £570 for a subsequent application; applications from 22 April 2026 to 21 July 2026 are £530 first application and £490 subsequent application.

Properties exempt from this scheme

  • Exemptions are listed in The Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006.

Discounts the council offers

  • Lower early-application fees apply before the base fee starts from 22 July 2026.
  • Accredited landlords had lower first and subsequent application fees for valid applications before 21 April 2026.

Streets covered

Acer Grove, Agnes Street, Ashbourne Grove, Avebury Close, Axford Close, Basten Drive, Baydon Avenue, Beckett Avenue, Bengairn, Murray Street, Bennett Drive, Betula Grove, Bevendon Square, Bispham Grove, Bower Street, Bowker Street, Briardene (back of Hilton Street), Bristol Street, Broughton Green Square, Buckfast Walk, Buddleia Grove, Buile Street, Bury New Road, Carnavon Street, Cheshill Court, Chisledon Avenue, City View (Highclere Avenue), Cleveleys Grove, Cliff Avenue, Cliff Crescent, Cliff Grange, Clivia Grove, Croft Bank, Curzon Road, Devonshire Street, Dixon Avenue, Donohue Close, Dorothy Street, Douglas Street, Dudley Street, Duncan Street, Evergreen Mews, Everleigh Drive, Fuchsia Grove, Gainsborough Street, Genista Grove, Grassfield Avenue, Great Cheetham St East, Great Cheetham St West, Great Clowes Street (234 onwards and 237 onwards), Grecian Street North, Green View, Greencroft way, Griffin Street, Hadfield Street, Hamilton Street, Hartis Avenue, Heaton Street, Highclere Avenue, Hill Street, Hilton Street North, Hope Street, Howe Street, Hugh Oldham Drive, Ilex Grove, Inghamwood Close, Japan Street, Kalmia Grove, Kempton House, Kimberley Street, King Street, Kipling Street, Knoll Street, Leaf Cottage (Oak Road), Leicester Road (odds to 61, evens to 82), Leicester Walk, Lower Broughton Road (302 onwards, 349 onwards), Lyneham Walk, Malimson Bourne (Hilton Street North), Mandley Park Avenue, Manley Street, Manton Close, Marie Street, Marlborough Road, Marsland Street North, Marsland Street South, Maudsley Street, Maysmith Mews, Milan Street, Mildred Street, Moston Street, Murray Street, New Devonshire Square, Nile Terrace, Norman Road, Northumberland Street, Norton Street, Oak Road, Oakhill Court, Orient Street, Pennon Close, Pimlico Close, Priory Avenue, Priory Grove, Priory Place, Pyramid Court, Rialto Gardens, Rigby Street, Rigby Walk, Riversdale, Rock Bank, Rock Street, Roman Court, Rosa Grove, Rosemary Grove, Rowan Way, Rudyard Street, Samian Gardens, Sandringham Gardens, Sarina Court, Scarr Wheel, Scovell Street, Southam Street, St James Road, St Johns Court, St Johns Street, Stoney Knoll, Symons Street, Tansey Grove, Tetlow Lane, The Bails, The Polygon, The Priory, Thirsk Mews, Todd Street, Topfield Grove, Tully Street, Turner Street, Village Street, Vinca Grove, Vincent Street, Weatherall Street North, Welbeck Grove, Wellington Street East, Wellington Street West, Wiltshire Street, Winterford Road, Yew Street.

Salford Eccles, Barton and Winton selective licensing 2022 to 2027

Selective licensing · active · Listed streets

Coverage
Listed streets
Runs
1 Sept 2022 to 31 Aug 2027
Term
5 years
Fee per property
£609

Salford selective licensing applies to privately rented properties in the listed Eccles, Barton and Winton streets from 1 September 2022 for five years.

The scheme covers 108 named streets. The postcode tells you the council, but only the street name confirms whether the property is in scope. Adjacent streets can have different answers.

Current listed fee from 2 March 2023 is £609 for a first application and £589 for a subsequent application.

Properties exempt from this scheme

  • Exemptions are listed in The Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006.

Discounts the council offers

  • Accredited landlords and early applicants had lower fees before December 2022; the current listed fee from 2 March 2023 is £609 for a first application and £589 for a subsequent application.

A landlord who qualifies for the strongest energy and accreditation discounts on this scheme pays around £0 instead of the headline £609 fee, a saving of £609.

Streets covered

Adelaide Street, Alba Close, Albert Street, Alma Street, Armitage Street, Barlow Street, Barton Lane – odds 77 to 119, evens 34 to 182, Boardman Street, Bradburn Avenue, Bradburn Close, Bradburn Grove, Bradburn Street, Bright Road, Brindley Close, Byron Street, Cannon Street, Cawdor Street, Chadwick Road, Chapel Street, Charlton Avenue, Church Grove, Church Street - odds 167 onwards, evens 190 onwards, Cornwall Street, Corporation Road, Cromwell Road, Devonshire Road, Dorning Street, Eccles Fold, Eliza Ann Street, Ellesmere Street, Elm Street, Enfield Close, Fielding Street, Fintry Grove, Fir Street, Francis Avenue, Franklin Street, Garden Street, George Street, Gladstone Road, Gleaves Road, Golden Street, Green Lane - odds 27 to 29, evens 14 to 82, Hall Bank, Hamilcar Avenue, Hamilton Avenue, Hampden Grove, Hemming Drive, Henry Street, Hospital Avenue, Irlam Avenue, Ivy Street, Kean Place, King Edward Street, Legh Street, Lewis Street, Lime Street, Liverpool Road - odds 5 to 311, evens 28 to 316, Lower Monton Rd - 2 to 28, Lynwood Avenue, Mather Avenue, Mather Road, Mellor Street, Milton Street, Monton Lane, Moorfield Close, Nelson Street, New Street, Oak Street, Oberon Close, Othello Drive, Oxford Street, Parr Street, Peel Street, Pembroke Avenue, Philip Street, Plum Tree Close, Police Street, Princess Street, Pym Street, Queen Victoria Street, Renshaw Avenue, Renshaw Street, Richardson Road, Roberts Street, Russell Street, Shakespeare Crescent, Spencer Street, Spooner Road, St Andrews Avenue, St James Street, St John Street, Station Road, Sydney Avenue, Talbot Street, The Avenue, Thomas Johnson Close, Trafford Road - odds 1-69, evens 2-44, Vane Street, Vernon Avenue, Vine Street, Wade Close, Wade House, Waterslea, Watson Street, Wesley Street, Wilham Avenue, Willan Road, Wycliffe Street.

Who needs a selective licence

If the property is inside the scheme area and rented out under most types of tenancy, the landlord usually needs a licence. That includes a couple renting a flat, a single tenant renting a whole house, and a family renting a terrace.

A selective licence does not normally apply to social housing, holiday lets, properties under the Housing Act 1985 Part 7, or homes already licensed as HMOs. The council's notice of designation lists the exact exemptions, and they vary scheme to scheme.

Whoever is in control of the property is responsible for the licence. That is normally the freeholder for a house, or the leaseholder for a flat. A managing agent can hold the licence with the landlord's written agreement.

Selective licensing and HMO licensing in Salford

Selective licensing and HMO licensing are different rules. A property only needs one licence at a time. If the property meets the test for a mandatory HMO (five or more people in two or more households) or for an additional HMO licence the council runs, that takes precedence and the property does not also need a selective licence.

Salford also runs an additional HMO licensing scheme. A small house share that does not meet the mandatory threshold can still be caught by that scheme, again replacing the need for a selective licence at the same address.

The practical effect: check the HMO rules first. If the property is an HMO under either definition, apply for the HMO licence. If it is a single-household let inside a designated selective area, apply for the selective licence instead.

How to apply

Applications go through the council. Most have an online form that takes the property address, the landlord and agent details, gas and electrical safety certificates, an Energy Performance Certificate, and proof of right to manage. Councils ask for the fee up front, usually split between a non-refundable application fee and a grant fee paid when the licence is issued.

A licence usually runs for five years. If the council renews the designation, every existing licence has to be re-applied for. Fees and conditions can change between renewals.

A licence is tied to the named landlord and the named property. Sell the property, change the manager, or move out and the licence does not transfer. The council needs a new application.

What happens if you do not licence

Renting out an unlicensed property in a designated area is a criminal offence under section 95 of the Housing Act 2004. Councils can prosecute, or apply a civil penalty of up to £40,000 instead under section 249A. The decision is the council's, and a civil penalty does not need a court case.

A tenant can apply for a rent repayment order for up to 12 months of rent already paid. Universal Credit and housing benefit paid for the same period can also be reclaimed by the council under section 41 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016. Two separate offences in 12 months can trigger a banning order, which removes the landlord from the rental market entirely.

A landlord who has not applied for a licence cannot serve a valid section 21 no-fault eviction notice. The block lasts until the licence is in place. A tenancy started inside the scheme area without a licence remains valid; only the eviction route is closed.

Talk to Salford directly

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

Mortgage and insurance implications

A buy-to-let mortgage usually requires the landlord to hold any licence the council demands. Lenders ask for the licence reference at the point of letting and again at renewal. Letting an unlicensed property in a designated area can technically breach the mortgage terms, and lenders have called in loans on that basis.

Landlord insurance is similar. Insurers normally require any licensable property to actually be licensed, and a civil penalty or rent repayment order can void cover for related claims. Disclose the licence status on renewal.

Buyers of let properties in Salford should ask the seller for the licence reference and the conditions attached to it. The licence ends on sale, but the conditions tell the buyer what improvements the council has already required.