Do I need a landlord licence in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?

Our current data does not show active selective or additional licensing schemes in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. However, mandatory HMO licensing still applies across England to properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more households. Always verify with the council as schemes can change.

How much does a property licence cost in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?

Based on our current data, licence fees in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council are approximately: Mandatory HMO Licensing: £792. Fees can vary and may include discounts for early applications. Always check the latest fees on the council website before applying.

Does mandatory HMO licensing apply in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?

Yes. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across all of England, including Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. It covers properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more separate households. You must apply to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council for a mandatory HMO licence if your property meets these criteria.

What happens if I rent without a licence in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?

Operating a licensable property without the correct licence can lead to enforcement action. For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, GOV.UK guidance refers to civil penalties of up to £40,000 for relevant offences, with different treatment for breaches and for offences committed before that date. Earlier cases may still be assessed under previous rules. Tenants or local authorities may be able to apply for a rent repayment order. GOV.UK guidance now refers to up to two years' rent for relevant offences, but eligibility, timing and the final amount depend on the facts and tribunal decision. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 notices can no longer be used for existing or new private tenancies in England. Transitional rules may still matter for notices served before that date.

Enhanced research coverage

Landlord licensing in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

North West

We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.

Council website

Licensing scorecard

Enhanced coverage

No active local selective or additional licensing scheme is currently shown in our data.

Selective licensing

No active selective scheme shown

Additional HMO licensing

No active additional scheme shown

Mandatory HMO licensing

Applies across England

Source confidence: High
Boundary confidence: No active local scheme boundary to assess
Public register: Download only (PDF or file) (3/5)
Last reviewed: 27 March 2026
Next review due: Not scheduled
Sources recorded: 10

Open the official council source

Our current data is a research summary, not a legal record. This should be verified with the council before letting, purchasing, refinancing, or taking legal action. Mandatory HMO licensing may still apply even where no local additional or selective scheme is recorded.

Recommended next step

Confirm the detail before you rely on it

Our current data gives a useful starting point, but the area match or scheme detail may need confirming. Verify on the official council source, or get a written check if you want a documented answer.

Check the official council source Get a written property licensing check

What still adds uncertainty

Mandatory HMO licensing can apply based on occupancy and households, which cannot be confirmed from a postcode alone.

Buying, refinancing, or completing conveyancing? A due diligence report pulls the licensing position together with the official routes so the risk is documented before you commit. This is an information service and is not legal advice.

Verify with the council

Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.

Verify on official council licensing page Council website Report an inaccuracy

Council updates

Get updates for Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

We will email you if Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 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.

If you are still unsure

Keep the informational journey first. Use the free checker, the £29 review, or alerts only if you want help resolving uncertainty or tracking future change.

Free checker

Free · Live now

Check a postcode, open the council page, and use the guides before paying for anything.

Open the free checker

Property Licensing Check

£29 · Live now

A property-specific PDF licensing report with a verification email template, current scheme fees, and a £30,000 risk context block — delivered to your inbox automatically.

Continue to secure payment

Alerts and monitoring

£12.99/month · Coming soon

A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.

See alerts and monitoring

These are information services, not legal advice. Final reliance should still be checked against council sources.

Check a postcode in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.

Public licensing register

Councils must keep a public register of licensed properties. How easy it is to use varies a lot between councils.

Public register found: Yes
Search method: Download a file (PDF or spreadsheet)
Register usability: Download only (PDF or file) (3/5)
Register updated: 03 November 2025

HMO

Appears to cover HMO licences - always confirm scope on the register itself.

Register notes

The register was last updated on 03 November 2025 per the document header. It is a legal requirement under the Housing Act 2004 for the council to maintain this register. The register lists licensed HMOs with address, postcode, and licence commencement date.

Open the public register

The council register and official source pages should be treated as the source of truth. Our summary is a guide to help you find and use them, not a substitute for the live register. How public registers work.

Research summary

These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.

Last reviewed

27 March 2026

Research confidence

High (72/100)

Sources checked

Research notes

Key facts confirmed directly from official Wigan Council website pages: mandatory HMO licensing (active, borough-wide), no selective licensing (explicitly stated), no additional HMO licensing (no evidence found), fee structure confirmed from official fees page (new £792, renewal £511, surcharges £32/£62), HMO public register confirmed as downloadable PDF last updated November 2025, Article 4 Direction details confirmed from official pages, Cabinet decision on selective licensing options appraisal confirmed from Wigan democracy portal (decision ref 3876, 20 March 2025). HMO standards consultation dates confirmed from official consultation page.

Council contact details

Phone: 01942 489204
Address: Housing Strategy, Regulation and Improvement, Wigan Council, Place Directorate, PO Box 100, Wigan, WN1 3DS

Important to verify

Exact number of licensed HMOs on the mandatory register
Confirmation of whether the email address hmoregister@wigan.gov.uk is current (referenced in search results but not confirmed on a specific council page)
Details of updated HMO standards following the 2025 consultation outcome
Any recent council change that could affect the current public summary.

Supporting sources

Mandatory HMO licensing

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 Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.

Not sure whether the rules apply? Use the HMO licence checker to check whether a property may need an HMO licence, then verify the current position with Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council.

Council-specific HMO detail we currently show

Borough-wide mandatory HMO licensing for properties occupied by 5 or more individuals from 2 or more households who share basic amenities (bathroom, toilet, cooking facilities), regardless of number of storeys. Properties with 3 or more occupants from 2 or more households sharing amenities are defined as HMOs and must comply with council HMO standards, but only those with 5+ occupants require a mandatory licence.

HMO fee guide: £792
Fee notes: New application fee £792; renewal fee £511. Additional surcharge of £32 for properties with 11-20 occupants, £62 for 21 or more occupants. Payment must be received before the application can be processed. Licences are not transferable - a new owner or new managing agent must apply for a new licence.
Typical licence term: 5 years

Licences are not transferable on sale of the property or change of licence holder. Each HMO requires its own individual licence. Mandatory HMO Licence Conditions are documented in the council's conditions PDF. Compliance with the 2006 and 2007 HMO Management Regulations is required. Since 31 August 2025, all HMOs regardless of size require planning permission in Wigan borough under the Article 4 Direction. A consultation on updated HMO standards and licence conditions ran July-September 2025 and is now closed; updated standards are expected to be implemented. Property types covered: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households sharing amenities. Also includes converted buildings not consisting solely of self-contained flats, and Section 257 HMOs (converted blocks with substandard conversions where fewer than two-thirds of flats are owner-occupied). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties with fewer than 5 occupants do not require mandatory licensing but must still comply with council HMO standards. Buildings managed by local authorities or registered social landlords.

View HMO licensing info on council website

Other compliance requirements

In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) - renewed annually
EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) - every 5 years
EPC rating of E or above - required before letting
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - checked at start of tenancy
Deposit protection - within 30 days of receiving deposit
Right to Rent checks - before tenancy starts

View full compliance checklist →

Common questions about licensing in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Do I need a landlord licence in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?: Our current data does not show active selective or additional licensing schemes in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. However, mandatory HMO licensing still applies across England to properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more households. Always verify with the council as schemes can change.
How much does a property licence cost in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?: Based on our current data, licence fees in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council are approximately: Mandatory HMO Licensing: £792. Fees can vary and may include discounts for early applications. Always check the latest fees on the council website before applying.
Does mandatory HMO licensing apply in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?: Yes. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across all of England, including Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. It covers properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more separate households. You must apply to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council for a mandatory HMO licence if your property meets these criteria.
What happens if I rent without a licence in Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council?: Operating a licensable property without the correct licence can lead to enforcement action. For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, GOV.UK guidance refers to civil penalties of up to £40,000 for relevant offences, with different treatment for breaches and for offences committed before that date. Earlier cases may still be assessed under previous rules. Tenants or local authorities may be able to apply for a rent repayment order. GOV.UK guidance now refers to up to two years' rent for relevant offences, but eligibility, timing and the final amount depend on the facts and tribunal decision. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 notices can no longer be used for existing or new private tenancies in England. Transitional rules may still matter for notices served before that date.

Still unsure? Choose the next step that fits you

Use these routes to move from the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council 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.

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.