North East
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 County Durham, 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 County Durham.
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 County Durham introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
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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
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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.
103 designated areas across County Durham, covering approximately 29,000 privately rented properties and representing approximately 42% of the county's entire private rented sector. Areas are defined by Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) rather than ward boundaries and cover over 50 wards. Geographic focus includes East Durham's former mining villages (e.g. Easington, Horden, Murton, Seaham), Bishop Auckland and surrounding towns, and various North Durham towns. Designated areas were selected based on evidence of low housing demand, anti-social behaviour, poor property conditions, high levels of deprivation, high levels of migration, and/or high levels of crime. Landlords can check whether a specific property falls within a designated area using the postcode checker on the council's selective licensing portal.
One of the largest selective licensing schemes in England. Originally proposed to cover 65% of the county (~51,000 properties) but scaled back to 103 areas (~29,000 properties) following consultation. Cabinet approval: 16 September 2020. Secretary of State approval: 30 November 2021. Legal basis: Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004. Designated using Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) for alignment with national statistics. As at early 2025: 17,000+ applications received, 16,500+ licences granted, 7 prohibition orders served, emergency repairs at 4 properties, 150+ civil penalty notices for failure to licence or comply with improvement notices, £1.38 million in total fines imposed across 3 years, 5 prosecutions. The scheme is 'undergoing a full review' expected to report in 2025/2026. Enforcement: civil fines up to £30,000 per property; criminal prosecution; rent repayment orders up to 12 months. Licence conditions require: gas safety certificate (provided to tenants at tenancy start and to council within 28 days of demand); EICR dated within 5 years; smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; EPC; property free from Category 1 hazards; compliance inspection access (48 hours notice); tenancy agreement requiring tenant to seek consent before allowing additional occupants.
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 mandatory licensing for all HMOs in County Durham occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more separate households. Extended nationally from October 2018 to cover all HMOs meeting the occupancy threshold regardless of number of storeys (previously required 3+ storeys).
Contact for HMO licensing: hmo@durham.gov.uk / 03000 261 016 (Consumer Protection team). General enquiries also to ehcp@durham.gov.uk. Applicants must demonstrate they are a 'fit and proper person' through background checks. An inspection is required before approval. Appeal rights: 28 days to appeal rejections or conditions to a residential property tribunal. Article 4 Directions applying in County Durham require planning permission before converting a family home to an HMO: Durham City (from 17 September 2016); Framwellgate Moor, Newton Hall, Pity Me (from 13 May 2017); Mount Oswald, Carrville, Belmont (from 14 January 2022); Remainder of County Durham (from 17 August 2026 — full countywide Article 4 Direction, agreed following consultation where ~80% of 1,400+ respondents supported the proposal). The countywide Article 4 Direction means all HMOs across Durham will require planning permission from August 2026. Minimum room size standards apply under the Housing Act 2004 licensing conditions. Criminal prosecution and unlimited fines apply for unlicensed HMOs.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Not yet designated. In August/September 2024, Durham County Council agreed to undertake an evidence-gathering study to inform the potential need for additional HMO licensing in Durham City. A report of findings is to be made to Members. No scheme has been designated and no consultation has been launched as of March 2026.
Durham County Council is not currently operating any additional licensing scheme. The council agreed (August/September 2024) to conduct an evidence-gathering study specifically for Durham City, given the high concentration of HMOs and student accommodation in that area. Durham City has had an Article 4 Direction since September 2016. There is significant community concern about HMO proliferation in Durham City (near Durham University). No timeline given for when findings will be presented to Members or whether a formal consultation or designation will follow. Kamma (as of July 2025) confirmed the council is 'not currently planning to introduce any new licensing schemes', suggesting the evidence-gathering study had not yet led to a designation decision.
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 (79/100)
Sources checked
3
Durham County Council's selective licensing scheme is one of the highest-profile schemes in England and is extensively documented. Multiple official council pages were directly accessible and confirmed key details. The portal propertylicensing.durham.gov.uk is fully functional. Third-party sources (Kamma, LandlordZone, Landlord Knowledge, Landlords Defence) independently corroborate all major facts. Fees (both at launch and from April 2025), scheme dates, coverage statistics, enforcement figures, and HMO licensing details are all consistently reported across multiple sources. The GSS code E06000047 is confirmed by ONS. The only areas of lower confidence are: (a) the complete list of the 103 specific MSOA designated areas (these are available via the council's postcode checker but not as a static published list in accessible search results); (b) the exact timeline/outcome of the additional licensing evidence-gathering study; and (c) whether a post-2027 renewal consultation has been formally launched.
The public register at propertylicensing.durham.gov.uk/public-register is searchable by postcode and covers all properties with a current licence (both selective and HMO licences). The register is updated periodically as new licences are issued and is maintained under Section 232 of the Housing Act 2004 (which requires every local housing authority to establish and maintain a register of licences granted under Parts 2 and 3 of the Act). A separate legacy PDF register is available at durham.gov.uk/article/2865 for HMO licences granted on the council's previous case management system. Suspected unlicensed properties can be reported via the council's reporting tool on the portal. No bulk data download of the full register appears to be available. The selective licensing register and HMO licensing register are both accessible through the unified propertylicensing.durham.gov.uk portal.
Supporting sources
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 County Durham.
Borough-wide mandatory licensing for all HMOs in County Durham occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more separate households. Extended nationally from October 2018 to cover all HMOs meeting the occupancy threshold regardless of number of storeys (previously required 3+ storeys).
Contact for HMO licensing: hmo@durham.gov.uk / 03000 261 016 (Consumer Protection team). General enquiries also to ehcp@durham.gov.uk. Applicants must demonstrate they are a 'fit and proper person' through background checks. An inspection is required before approval. Appeal rights: 28 days to appeal rejections or conditions to a residential property tribunal. Article 4 Directions applying in County Durham require planning permission before converting a family home to an HMO: Durham City (from 17 September 2016); Framwellgate Moor, Newton Hall, Pity Me (from 13 May 2017); Mount Oswald, Carrville, Belmont (from 14 January 2022); Remainder of County Durham (from 17 August 2026 — full countywide Article 4 Direction, agreed following consultation where ~80% of 1,400+ respondents supported the proposal). The countywide Article 4 Direction means all HMOs across Durham will require planning permission from August 2026. Minimum room size standards apply under the Housing Act 2004 licensing conditions. Criminal prosecution and unlimited fines apply for unlicensed HMOs.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the County Durham 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 selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the area-based route→
Use the selective licensing page if the real question is whether a standard rented home sits inside a designated area.
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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