Council licensing report

Landlord licensing in Telford and Wrekin

No current local selective or additional HMO scheme is listed for Telford and Wrekin. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to larger shared homes anywhere in England.

What landlords need to know

Status

Telford and Wrekin

Mandatory HMO (national)

Selective licensing: None listed
Additional HMO licensing: None listed
Mandatory HMO licensing: Applies nationally
Local scheme coverage: Council check only
Active local schemes: None listed
Last checked: 1 Nov 2026

Selective licensing in Telford and Wrekin

Who is covered, fees, dates and exemptions.

HMO licensing in Telford and Wrekin

Mandatory and additional HMO rules with thresholds.

Check a postcode and address in Telford and Wrekin

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 Telford and Wrekin

Telford and Wrekin additional HMO licensing 2026 (revoked)

Additional HMO licensing · revoked · Whole council area · Until 15 Sept 2026

Coverage: Whole council area
Ends: 15 Sept 2026

Telford and Wrekin designated the whole borough on 14 May 2026 for additional HMO licensing of HMOs with 3 or more occupants in 2 or more households, including section 257 HMOs, that were not covered by mandatory HMO licensing. An addendum dated 28 August 2026 moved the start to 1 December 2026. The council revoked the whole designation on 11 September 2026 with effect from 15 September 2026, so additional HMO licences are not required.

Common rental setups in Telford and Wrekin

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 Telford and Wrekin's current rules say about each.

Single tenant in a flat or studio

No licence needed

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

No landlord licence is needed under current Telford and Wrekin rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Couple renting a whole house

No licence needed

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

No landlord licence is needed under current Telford and Wrekin rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Family renting a whole house

No licence needed

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

No landlord licence is needed under current Telford and Wrekin rules. Mandatory HMO licensing does not apply because this is one household.

Three sharers from different households

Worth confirming

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

This is a small HMO under the section 254 definition, but it does not need a mandatory licence and Telford and Wrekin does not currently licence smaller HMOs. Standard HMO management rules and fire-safety duties still apply.

Four sharers from different households

Worth confirming

Four unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.

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 Telford and Wrekin

A property licence does not transfer when a property changes hands. If you buy a let property that needs a licence under Telford and Wrekin'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.

Telford and Wrekin does not currently run a selective or additional HMO scheme, so a single-let purchase usually does not need a licence. A larger HMO purchase can still need a mandatory HMO licence. Apply before the property becomes licensable.

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

Scheme changes and consultations

Telford and Wrekin additional HMO licensing revoked

Additional HMO licensing · Revoked

Coverage: Whole council area
Timing: Took effect 15 Sept 2026

Telford and Wrekin revoked its borough-wide additional HMO licensing designation in full under section 60 of the Housing Act 2004. The instrument of revocation is dated 11 September 2026 and the designation stopped having effect at 00:01 on 15 September 2026. Applicants who already applied for an additional licence will be contacted about refunds.

Talk to Telford and Wrekin directly

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

Email the licensing team

[email protected]

Phone the licensing team

01952 381818

Apply for a licence

Application form on Telford and Wrekin's website

Public licence register

Search licensed properties in Telford and Wrekin

Official licensing page

Telford and Wrekin council guidance