Renting in Blackburn with Darwen: check-in and getting your deposit back

Homes to rent in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen's housing is dominated by Victorian terraced houses built for the cotton mills, many of them cheap to buy and let privately. Inner areas such as Mill Hill, Ewood and Audley have the highest share of private renting and older homes in poorer condition, which is why the council has used and proposed selective licensing there. Darwen has stone terraces climbing the valley sides, while the western suburbs and the moorland villages of North Turton are mostly owner-occupied. The council estimates that around one in five homes in the borough is privately rented.

Average rent: £699 a month (ONS, December 2025), up 8.5% on a year earlier. Source

On moving-in day

1. Before unpacking, photograph every room: a wide shot, then each item, with the date and time on every photo.
2. Photograph the meters (gas, electricity, water) and write down the readings.
3. Count the keys and fobs, and test the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
4. Note anything worn, marked or not working, and send it to the landlord or agent within a few days.

Things to look at 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.

Your deposit

Your landlord must protect your deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days and tell you which. At the end, deductions can only be for damage beyond fair wear and tear, cleaning back to the check-in standard, or rent owed. A dated check-in record is your best protection.

Help from the council

Tenants can report disrepair, damp or unsafe conditions in privately rented homes to Blackburn with Darwen Council's private sector housing team.

Do your check-in free Moving-in checklist