Salford Landlord Licensing Checklist: Everything You Need Before You Apply

Salford's licensing portal rejects incomplete applications — and your Part A fee (anywhere from £365 to over £1,000) is non-refundable once processing starts. Getting everything ready before you touch the portal is the single most valuable thing you can do.

Documents to Gather First

Before starting the online application, make sure you have these in hand:

Basic DBS Disclosure — required for both the Property Manager and the Proposed Licence Holder. The disclosure must be dated within the last three months when you submit it for the relevant registration. Order through the GOV.UK Basic DBS service; applications take an average of 3 days to process, though some take longer. If you're both the owner and the manager (most small landlords are), you still need the disclosure — it's one document that serves both roles.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — current, valid, issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Must show no Category 1 or unserviced defects. If your property has no gas supply, you'll declare that on the portal instead.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — rated "Satisfactory," dated within the last five years. Any C1 or C2 faults must be remediated and the report re-issued before it's usable.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — valid (10-year life) with a rating of E or higher. Below E? Either improve the property or register an exemption on the national PRS Exemptions Register.

Smoke and CO alarm declaration — written confirmation that smoke alarms are on every storey and carbon monoxide detectors are in every room with a fixed combustion appliance.

Floor plans (HMOs only) — scaled, dimensioned plans showing room measurements in square metres, room usage, fire detection equipment locations, fire door positions, and kitchen/bathroom layouts.

Tenancy agreement template — a copy of your standard tenancy agreement incorporating antisocial behaviour clauses and waste management instructions.

Portal Steps in Order

Salford's portal has three steps. Steps 1 and 2 can be completed in either order, but Step 3 requires the Manager ID and Licence Holder ID:

Step 1: Register the Property Manager. Upload DBS disclosure. The portal generates a Manager ID.

Step 2: Register the Proposed Licence Holder. Complete this registration even if the proposed licence holder is also the property manager; submit the required Basic DBS disclosure. The portal generates a Licence Holder ID.

Step 3: Register the Property. Using the Manager ID and Licence Holder ID from Steps 1 and 2, enter the property address, select the licence type (selective, mandatory HMO, or Section 257), upload all compliance documents, make your statutory declarations, and pay the Part A fee.

Most failed applications happen because landlords try to start at Step 3 without completing Steps 1 and 2 first.

Statutory Notices

Before submitting, you must serve formal written notice on all "relevant persons" under Schedule 2 of the 2006 Regulations — freeholders, head-leaseholders, mortgage lenders, and co-owners. The portal asks you to declare that these notifications have been served. Doing this after submission creates complications; do it before.

Fee Payment

Part A is paid at submission. You can pay the full amount upfront or set up instalments:

• Full payment via the portal payment gateway
• 12 monthly direct debit instalments
• 25% upfront followed by 23 monthly direct debits
• 50% upfront followed by 11 monthly direct debits

Part B (the grant fee) comes later — the council collects it when they issue the "Minded to Grant" notice, before the final licence is released.

The Quick Checklist

Before hitting "Submit" on Step 3, confirm:

• [ ] Basic DBS disclosure(s) dated within the last three months
• [ ] Gas Safety Certificate current and valid
• [ ] EICR rated "Satisfactory" and within 5 years
• [ ] EPC valid and rated E or higher
• [ ] Smoke and CO alarm declaration prepared
• [ ] Floor plans with dimensions (HMOs)
• [ ] Tenancy agreement template ready
• [ ] Statutory notices served on all relevant persons
• [ ] Payment method ready (card or direct debit details)
• [ ] Correct licence type selected for your property

For the full walkthrough — including which licence type applies to your specific property, how fees differ by scheme, and what happens after you submit — our Salford licensing guide covers the entire process end to end.

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