Salford Section 257 HMO Licence: What Converted Flat Block Owners Need to Know

Salford City Council is launching a new citywide additional HMO licensing scheme on 24 November 2026, and it targets a property type many landlords don't think of as an HMO: converted blocks of self-contained flats. If you own or manage a building divided into flats where the conversion work still fails the relevant building standards and fewer than two-thirds of flats are owner-occupied, it falls within the scheme's criteria.

What Is a Section 257 HMO?

Section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 creates a special HMO classification for converted buildings. A building qualifies if all three conditions are met:

1. It has been converted into self-contained flats
2. The conversion work didn't comply with the appropriate building standards in force at the time and still does not comply with them (for earlier conversions, the relevant standards are those equivalent to the Building Regulations 1991)
3. Less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. A flat counts as owner-occupied if it is occupied by a person with a lease granted for more than 21 years, the freeholder of the converted block, or a member of either person's household.

Older Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Salford may need checking if their conversion work failed the relevant standards and still does not comply. Age or missing building-control records alone do not establish that a block qualifies. The building doesn't need to have shared corridors or communal kitchens — it's the conversion history and ownership split that trigger the classification.

What the Scheme Covers

The new scheme runs from 24 November 2026 to 24 November 2031. It requires a licence for the building itself — not for individual flats within it. The licence holder is typically the freeholder or head leaseholder, whoever is the "person in control" under Section 263 of the Housing Act.

This creates a layered licensing situation. If a flat inside a Section 257 building is sub-let to five or more sharers, that individual flat also needs its own mandatory HMO licence. If a flat is let to a single family inside a selective licensing zone, the flat needs a selective licence while the building simultaneously needs a Section 257 licence.

Fees

Section 257 fees vary by building size and are significantly higher than selective or standard HMO fees:

• 2–4 flats: £1,431.65 (£1,053.96 Part A + £377.69 Part B)
• 5–8 flats: £1,711.65 (£1,333.96 + £377.69)
• 9+ flats: £1,991.65 (£1,613.96 + £377.69)

Accredited landlords who submit their application before the scheme starts on 24 November 2026 can save over £100. The early accredited rate for a 2–4 flat building drops to £1,321.02. But both the landlord and the property must be fully accredited through Salford's Landlord Accreditation Scheme before that date — starting the accreditation process on 23 November won't qualify.

All fees are split into Part A (non-refundable once processing has started) and Part B (refunded if the licence isn't granted). Interest-free direct debit instalment plans are available.

How It Interacts With the Expired Small HMO Scheme

Salford's previous additional HMO scheme — which covered 3- and 4-person shared houses citywide — expired on 19 July 2026. The Section 257 scheme is not a replacement. It targets a completely different property type: converted flat buildings, not shared houses.

If you previously held an additional HMO licence for a small shared house, that licence has ended and cannot be renewed. Check whether your property now falls inside a selective licensing zone instead.

Preparing for November 2026

The council is accepting applications and processing early-bird discounts ahead of the 24 November start date. If your building might qualify as a Section 257 HMO, the key steps are:

1. Check the conversion history — did the building have building control sign-off?
2. Check the ownership split — are fewer than two-thirds of flats owner-occupied?
3. Consider accreditation now to lock in the discounted fee
4. Gather compliance documents (gas safety, EICR, EPC, floor plans)

The Salford Landlord Licensing Guide covers the full Section 257 decision framework, fee tiers, and the application process.

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