Blackburn's rental market is shaped by its large and diverse population, a significant proportion of which rents privately. The town's Victorian terraced housing — particularly in the Bastwell, Audley, and Mill Hill areas — is heavily let as private rented accommodation, with a notable concentration of HMOs and multi-occupancy properties. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has been proactive in addressing housing standards in the private rented sector.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council administers mandatory HMO licensing and may operate additional or selective licensing schemes. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 adds national obligations from 1 May 2026: Section 21 abolition, Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreements as the only permitted new tenancy form, Awaab's Law on damp and mould, and civil penalties up to £40,000.
Renters' Rights Act 2025 — England-wide obligations from 1 May 2026
All Blackburn private landlords must comply with these national changes from 1 May 2026:
- Section 21 abolished: No-fault eviction notices served on or after 1 May 2026 are unlawful. All possession must use Section 8 and one of the revised Schedule 2 grounds only
- Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a PAT-compliant agreement. Fixed-term ASTs are no longer available for new private residential lets in England
- Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and other HHSRS hazards in all private rented properties
- Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with an existing tenancy as at 1 May 2026 must deliver the official RRA 2025 Information Sheet to every named tenant by 31 May 2026. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy
- Pet request right: Tenants on PATs have the right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days or consent is deemed given
- Civil penalties up to £40,000: Maximum civil penalties for PRS non-compliance rise to £40,000 per offence under the RRA 2025
- Rent increase via Section 13 only: Rent on a PAT can only be raised via formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A), once every 12 months
Blackburn with Darwen Council HMO licensing
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council administers HMO licensing across the borough, with a track record of proactive enforcement in the private rented sector.
- Mandatory HMO licensing: All Blackburn properties occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004
- Additional HMO licensing: Blackburn with Darwen has operated additional licensing schemes in areas of higher private rented concentration, particularly inner Blackburn wards. Check the council's current licensing register — additional schemes are time-limited and subject to renewal
- Selective licensing: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has designated selective licensing areas in which all private landlords must hold a licence regardless of property size. This has been used to address housing standards in high-density rented areas. Confirm the current designations before letting in any area of the borough
- Proactive inspection: The council's housing enforcement team carries out proactive inspections of licensed properties. Licence breaches — including room size failures, fire safety deficiencies, and overcrowding — result in improvement notices and civil penalties
- HMO licence conditions: Blackburn HMO licences specify minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult sleeping room), fire detection grades, fire door requirements, and maximum occupancy
Awaab's Law — damp and mould obligations for Blackburn landlords
Blackburn's older Victorian terraced housing stock is particularly vulnerable to damp and mould. Awaab's Law introduces mandatory response timeframes from 1 May 2026.
- Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Begin emergency work within 24 hours of notification of an emergency hazard (gas leak, structural collapse risk, sewage)
- Urgent repairs — 7 days: Investigate and issue a repair plan within 7 days for serious damp, mould, or HHSRS Category 1 hazards
- Non-urgent repairs — 28 days: Assess and communicate a remediation schedule within 28 days for less serious hazards
- Victorian terrace damp risk: Blackburn's dense Victorian housing stock has inherent risks of rising damp, penetrating damp through solid-wall construction, and condensation. Landlords must address reports promptly — failure is a civil offence with penalties up to £40,000
- Documentation required: All damp and mould reports, inspections, and repair schedules must be documented in writing and retained for the duration of the tenancy
Section 21 abolition — what Blackburn landlords must do now
From 1 May 2026, all possession must be via Section 8. Blackburn landlords who relied on Section 21 for routine end-of-tenancy possession must now use the correct grounds.
- Ground 1A (sale): 4 months' notice where the landlord genuinely intends to sell the property
- Ground 1 (landlord occupation): 4 months' notice where the landlord or a specified family member intends to occupy as their principal home
- Ground 8 (persistent arrears): 4 weeks' notice where the tenant has at least 2 months' arrears at the time of notice and at the hearing
- Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour): Immediate notice where the tenant or visitor is causing or likely to cause nuisance or annoyance
- PAT agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement to enable correct Section 8 notice service
Right to rent — Blackburn landlord obligations
All Blackburn landlords must conduct right to rent checks before the tenancy start date for every adult occupant.
- All adult occupants must be checked: Right to rent checks are required for every adult who will occupy the property, not just the lead tenant
- Manual checks or IDVT: British and Irish nationals can be checked by manual document inspection or certified IDVT provider
- Home Office online service: Non-British/Irish nationals must be checked via the Home Office online right to rent checking service using their share code
- Record retention: Copies of documents checked must be retained for the duration of the tenancy and one year after it ends
- Penalty for failure: Letting to a person without right to rent is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine and up to 5 years' imprisonment
Gas and electrical safety — Blackburn landlord requirements
Blackburn landlords must maintain and certify all gas and electrical installations.
- Gas Safety Certificate annually: All gas appliances and installations must be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer every 12 months. The CP12 record must be given to tenants within 28 days
- EICR every 5 years: An Electrical Installation Condition Report must be produced by a qualified electrician at least every 5 years and given to tenants before occupation
- Smoke alarms on every storey: A working smoke alarm must be present on every storey used as living accommodation, tested at the start of each tenancy
- CO alarms required: Carbon monoxide alarms mandatory in rooms with solid fuel appliances and gas boilers in properties let from October 2022
- HMO fire safety upgrade: Blackburn HMO licences may require hardwired interlinked fire detection, emergency lighting, and compliant fire doors depending on property size and layout
Blackburn landlord compliance checklist 2026
Key actions for Blackburn landlords in 2026:
- Obtain or renew HMO licence for 5+ person / 2+ household properties
- Check whether your Blackburn property falls within an additional or selective licensing area
- Issue RRA 2025 Information Sheet to all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
- Transition all new tenancies from 1 May 2026 to PAT agreements
- Use Section 8 and correct Schedule 2 grounds for all possession claims — no new Section 21 notices
- Protect deposits within 30 days and serve prescribed information
- Maintain valid EPC (minimum E), Gas Safety Certificate, and EICR
- Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- Conduct right to rent checks for all adult occupants
- Record all damp/mould reports and respond within Awaab's Law statutory timeframes
Frequently asked questions
Is Section 21 still valid in Blackburn in 2026?+
No. Section 21 was abolished from 1 May 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Blackburn landlords must use Section 8 and the appropriate Schedule 2 ground for all possession claims from this date.
Do I need an HMO licence for my Blackburn rental property?+
Mandatory HMO licensing applies if your Blackburn property has 5 or more occupants from 2 or more separate households. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council may also operate additional and selective licensing in designated areas. Check the current register before letting.
What does Awaab's Law mean for Blackburn landlords?+
Awaab's Law requires you to begin emergency work within 24 hours, investigate serious damp or mould within 7 days, and remediate within 28 days. Blackburn's Victorian terraced stock is particularly prone to damp. Failure to respond is a civil offence with penalties up to £40,000.
What tenancy agreement do I need for new Blackburn lets from May 2026?+
All new private residential tenancies in England from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement. LetSafe UK provides RRA 2025-compliant PAT agreements tailored for Blackburn and East Lancashire landlords.