Landlord Licensing Guide

Dorset Council has no licensing scheme currently found

Unitary · South West · Last researched 2026-09-03

Selective licensing in Dorset Council

✓ No selective scheme found

Researched with no evidence of a live scheme. Licensing status changes on a weeks-to-months cadence, not annually — this is why we date every page.

🕓 PROPOSED

Melcombe Regis Landlord Licensing Scheme; coverage: partial; fee: £588 (5-year licence (proposed)). A real, named, area-specific selective licensing proposal for Melcombe Regis (part of Weymouth), proposed fee £550-£625 (midpoint used) for a 5-year licence. The consultation page is archived under 'find-a-consultation-old', suggesting this may have since concluded one way or the other — worth a direct follow-up check rather than assuming it's still just proposed.

Additional licensing in Dorset Council

⚠ UNVERIFIED

Council's own HMO pages detail mandatory licensing fees (£900 first 5-year licence, £740 renewal, from 1 April 2026) in detail but do not confirm or rule out a discretionary additional scheme. Confirm directly with Dorset Council before letting.

National obligations that apply everywhere in England

These apply regardless of Dorset Council's own licensing rules — every England landlord is on the hook for these:

Annual Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — Any property with gas — unlimited fine and/or imprisonment on conviction if missing.
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — Every rental property — a live legal requirement in England since 2020.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Every rental property — currently rated E or above to be let legally.
Tenancy deposit protection — Any deposit taken — must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days.
Right to Rent checks — Every tenant — landlords must verify immigration status before letting.
PRS Landlord Database registration — Phasing in nationally 2026–2028 under the Renters' Rights Act — a new, separate requirement from council licensing.

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Information, not legal advice. Compiled from public sources on 2026-09-03; licensing schemes change on a weeks-to-months cadence, not annually, so always confirm directly with Dorset Council before relying on this for a real letting decision. Overall confidence for this page: medium.