North West
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Bury, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Bury.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Bury introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
Free, occasional licensing updates only. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Borough-wide mandatory HMO licensing for all houses in multiple occupation occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, used as their only or main residence. Also covers converted houses with bedsits or non-self-contained accommodation occupied by 5+ persons from 2+ households.
Licences include: property address, licence holder details, manager information, maximum occupants permitted, and licence conditions. Bury Council proactively seeks out and enforces against unlicensed landlords. The council's approach is informative and supportive; sanctions are only applied as a last resort after reasonable requests for compliance.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Borough-wide Additional HMO Licensing Scheme extending licensing requirements to smaller HMOs with 3 or 4 tenants (i.e. those not covered by mandatory licensing). Introduced to address problems arising from a significant proportion of smaller HMOs being managed insufficiently effectively across the borough.
Introduced under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004. The council must satisfy itself that a significant proportion of 3-4 person HMOs in the borough are being managed sufficiently ineffectively as to give rise to particular problems for occupants or residents. Both the additional and mandatory schemes are administered through the same application portal and fee structure.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
28 March 2026
Research confidence
High (80/100)
Sources checked
2
Mandatory HMO licensing fees and application links confirmed directly from Bury Council's official HMO licence page. Additional HMO licensing start date (19 July 2021) confirmed from two separate council decision documents (December 2025 HMO evidence base and January 2026 Planning Control Committee report). Contact email confirmed from Bury Council's landlord information page. No selective licensing scheme confirmed via multiple sources including Bury Council's own website and third-party landlord reference sources. Public register fee (£48) and format (email PDF) confirmed from official HMO licence page.
It is a legal requirement under the Housing Act 2004 for the council to keep a public register of licensable HMOs. The register is not publicly searchable online. Note: The separate Bury Council Licensing Act premises register (https://licensing.bury.gov.uk) covers commercial premises (pubs, restaurants, etc.) under the Licensing Act 2003 and does NOT include HMO or property licences.
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Bury.
Borough-wide mandatory HMO licensing for all houses in multiple occupation occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, used as their only or main residence. Also covers converted houses with bedsits or non-self-contained accommodation occupied by 5+ persons from 2+ households.
Licences include: property address, licence holder details, manager information, maximum occupants permitted, and licence conditions. Bury Council proactively seeks out and enforces against unlicensed landlords. The council's approach is informative and supportive; sanctions are only applied as a last resort after reasonable requests for compliance.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Bury summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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