DIY InventoryLetting a property in Dorset: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Dorset.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Dorset
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: only mandatory licensing, for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households.
- Fees: £900 for a new five-year HMO licence and £740 to renew (from April 2026), 10% less for members of a landlord association
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Dorset Council.
Dorset Council: private renting and licensing
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 Dorset 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 Dorset homes
- Thatched cottages: photograph the thatch, ridge and any netting from the outside, and check smoke and heat alarms inside.
- Cob and stone cottages: photograph damp patches, lime render and any cracks, room by room.
- Seafront flats in Weymouth and Swanage: photograph window frames, balconies and metal fittings for salt corrosion.
- Rural homes off the gas grid: photograph the oil tank and gauge reading, the boiler, and any septic tank or private water supply.
- Homes near the coast at Lyme Regis and West Bay: photograph any cracks in walls and paths, as parts of this coast are unstable.
Homes sold in Dorset in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 1,589 | £525,498 |
| Terraced | 1,101 | £279,860 |
| Semi-detached | 822 | £343,231 |
| Flat or maisonette | 648 | £191,035 |
| Other | 176 | £566,672 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Dorset: questions
Is there selective licensing in Dorset?
No selective licensing scheme. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Dorset?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Dorset?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.