Letting a property in Blackburn with Darwen: a landlord’s guide

General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.

Landlord licensing in Blackburn with Darwen

• Selective licensing: Not confirmed. The council has run selective licensing in parts of Blackburn before; a new scheme for the Hollins Bank area (mainly Ewood and Mill Hill & Moorgate wards), consulted on from May to July 2024, was put on hold in 2025. Check with the council whether any area is designated now.

Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Safety certificates

• Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
• EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
• Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).

Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Blackburn with Darwen at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.

Deposits and the inventory

Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.

What to record in Blackburn with Darwen homes

• Victorian two-up two-down terraces in Mill Hill and Ewood: photograph damp at the base of walls, cellar heads and any rising damp or mould in back bedrooms.
• Back yards and alleys behind terraced rows: record the yard gate, walls, outside toilets or stores and where the bins are kept.
• Stone terraces on Darwen's hillsides: check and photograph slate roofs seen from the street, gutters, chimney stacks and any water marks on ceilings.
• Flats over shops in Blackburn town centre: note the separate entrance, the stairs, fire alarms and how many keys are handed over.
• Moorland cottages in Edgworth and North Turton: photograph solid-fuel stoves, any oil tank or LPG supply, and exposed walls and window frames.
• Older gas fires and back boilers in terraced homes: photograph the appliance and the gas safety certificate date at check-in.

Start your inventory free

Homes sold in Blackburn with Darwen in the last 12 months

Type	Sales	Average price
Terraced	742	£123,465
Semi-detached	330	£198,420
Detached	229	£338,204
Other	56	£502,900
Flat or maisonette	55	£109,282

HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.