Blackpool Selective Licence Fees — The Full Breakdown

The Base Fee: £772

A standard selective licence for a single-dwelling property in Blackpool costs £772. The licence period is set out in the licence itself and may run for up to five years from grant or commencement; it can remain in force for its stated period even if the designation ends.

The fee is split into two mandatory stages, and the split trips up more landlords than almost anything else in the process.

Stage 1: The Processing Fee (£354)

You pay £354 when you submit the online application through Blackpool Council's self-service portal. This is non-refundable once administrative processing begins. It covers the application review, fit-and-proper background checks, and initial document validation.

No Part 1 payment, no valid application — and no statutory defence against prosecution for operating without a licence.

Stage 2: The Enforcement Fee (£418)

Once the council decides your application can be approved, they invoice the second part: £418. This funds ongoing compliance inspections, scheme monitoring and enforcement against unlicensed operators.

The Stage 2 fee is paid through a separate payment portal (Access PaySuite), not the same system you used for Stage 1. Some landlords assume the property is fully licensed after paying Stage 1 — it's not. The formal licence document isn't issued until Stage 2 is settled.

If the council refuses your application, you don't pay Stage 2. But the £354 processing fee is gone.

Multi-Unit Buildings

If you own a converted building with multiple self-contained flats under single ownership, the first unit pays the full £772 base. Each additional flat adds £95. So a six-flat former guesthouse costs £772 + (5 × £95) = £1,247 for the block.

For multi-unit blocks, the fee schedule gives a £20 EPC discount for each additional unit rated A, B or C. If a six-flat building does not meet the Blackpool Standard and every flat has a C-rated EPC, the EPC discounts total £200: £100 for the main property and £20 for each of five additional units.

Blackpool Council requires full fee payment within 12 months of application, which creates real cash flow pressure for portfolio owners. If you own several properties across the eight inner wards, the upfront costs stack quickly.

Discounts

Two main discounts can bring the single-dwelling fee down:

• Blackpool Standard discount — £200 off the property fee if it meets the council's standard on inspection
• EPC discount — £100 off the main property fee if it has a verified EPC rating of A, B or C and the Blackpool Standard is not met

These two discounts do not combine for the main property fee: the £200 Blackpool Standard discount applies if the property meets the standard, while the £100 EPC discount applies only where it does not. During the scheme's initial launch window, early-bird promotions brought entry-level fees as low as £347 to £572 depending on which discounts applied.

Refunds

If you paid fees for a property that turns out to be outside the eight designated inner wards, you can apply for a refund in writing, though the council deducts an administrative verification charge. Part 1 fees are non-refundable once processing starts. Part 2 is never payable if the licence is refused.

Section 87(7) of the Housing Act 2004 allows the council to take the costs of administering and enforcing selective licensing into account when setting fees. Blackpool Council says the scheme is self-financing.

Mandatory HMO Fees (For Comparison)

A new mandatory HMO licence costs £1,176. A renewal costs £903. These are separate from the selective licensing fee structure and apply to licensable HMOs with five or more occupants in two or more households, regardless of ward.

The Blackpool Landlord Licensing Guide includes fee calculator worksheets, the multi-unit worked examples, and the discount eligibility checklist so you can budget the exact amount before you start the portal application.

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