DIY InventoryLetting a property in West Lancashire: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in West Lancashire.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in West Lancashire
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme; only national mandatory HMO licensing applies (five or more people from two or more households).
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: West Lancashire Borough Council.
West Lancashire Borough 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 West Lancashire 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 West Lancashire homes
- Student houses in Ormskirk near Edge Hill University: record each bedroom's lock, furniture and fire doors, and check the HMO licence for five or more sharers.
- 1960s homes in Skelmersdale: photograph flat roofs, older windows and communal footpaths, garages and bin areas.
- Victorian terraces in Ormskirk and Burscough: check rear yards, sash or replacement windows and any damp in back kitchens.
- Rural homes on the mossland farms: record oil tanks, septic tanks and any signs of subsidence or cracking on soft ground.
- New-build estates in Burscough: check sealant, flooring and any snagging marks, and who maintains shared green space.
- Stone cottages in Parbold and Up Holland: photograph damp patches, chimneys and timber windows.
Homes sold in West Lancashire in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | 409 | £248,799 |
| Detached | 350 | £431,560 |
| Terraced | 340 | £158,150 |
| Flat or maisonette | 64 | £118,549 |
| Other | 46 | £573,842 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in West Lancashire: questions
Is there selective licensing in West Lancashire?
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 West Lancashire?
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 West Lancashire?
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.
Ready when you have the keys
Do your West Lancashire check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
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