Renters' Rights Act Blackpool Landlord — What Changed for Licensing

What the Renters' Rights Act Changed

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025 and introduced its major tenancy changes on 1 May 2026. For Blackpool landlords holding or needing a selective or HMO licence, three changes matter most.

Section 21 is gone. The vast majority of new and existing private tenancies converted to assured periodic tenancies on 1 May 2026. Landlords can no longer issue no-fault eviction notices. Possession now requires specific Section 8 grounds, and unlicensed landlords face restrictions on which grounds they can use. Operating without a licence when one is required does not just carry a civil penalty — it weakens your ability to recover your own property.

Rent repayment orders doubled. For licensing offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, tenants (and councils) can apply for up to 24 months' rent through the First-tier Tribunal, up from 12 months under the previous regime. The filing window also extended from 12 months to two years. And the Act reversed the Rakusen v Jepsen ruling, so tenants can now claim against superior landlords and head-leaseholders in rent-to-rent arrangements — not just the immediate landlord.

The qualifying offences list expanded from 7 to 13. Unlicensed letting of selective and HMO properties still qualifies, but the Act added misuse of possession grounds, breach of re-letting restrictions, and continuous tenancy reform breaches.

The PRS Database Connection

The Renters' Rights Act also created the national Private Rented Sector Database. During the rollout, registration is required for private landlords with properties currently occupied under assured or regulated tenancies, except supported exempt accommodation. For the North West region (including Blackpool), the registration period is:

• 15 May 2027: the North West registration period opens
• 14 August 2027: the last day of the North West registration period

During registration, landlords must provide details of any licence for the property. The government says the database will help councils target enforcement.

This makes the existing selective licensing requirement more enforceable, not less. A landlord who has been operating without a licence and hoping to stay under the radar will surface when the database goes live.

What Blackpool Landlords Should Do Now

The practical sequence is straightforward. If your property is in one of the eight inner wards and is let to a single household, you need a selective licence under the 2025–2030 scheme unless an exemption applies. If it is an HMO with five or more occupants in two or more households and meets the statutory building test, you need a mandatory HMO licence regardless of ward; purpose-built flats in blocks of three or more self-contained flats are excluded. Get the licence in place now — the duly-made application gives you statutory protection, and the licence details will be ready for PRS Database registration in May 2027.

Waiting costs more than it saves. A civil penalty for unlicensed letting can reach £40,000, a rent repayment order can claim 24 months of rent, and the tribunal filing window gives tenants two full years to bring the application.

Our Blackpool landlord licensing guide covers the full application process, fee calculations, and every document you need — so you can get your licence sorted before the PRS Database deadline adds another layer of enforcement.

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