Letting in Darlington: the rules and the numbers

No council licensing scheme runs here right now - the lines below say what else to know.

Selective licensing

Not here

Additional licensing

Not here

Article 4 on house shares

Applies here

• House shares and planning - turning a home here into a house share for 3 to 6 people from more than one household needs planning permission first. The council calls this an Article 4 direction.

Anywhere in England, a house share of 5 or more people from more than one household needs a licence from the council - an HMO licence.

Source: Darlington Borough Council, checked 29 September 2026

Housing allowance is the most that benefits pay towards a tenant's rent each month.

• In the Darlington area: £288.96 for a room in a house share, £360.00 for a 1-bedroom home, £450.00 for a 2-bedroom home, £530.00 for a 3-bedroom home, £695.00 for a 4-bedroom home.

Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Local Housing Allowance rates from 1 April 2026

The average rent here is £689 a month, up 6.4% on a year before.

• 1 bedroom: £496 a month
• 2 bedrooms: £629 a month
• 3 bedrooms: £766 a month
• 4 or more bedrooms: £1,092 a month

Source: Office for National Statistics private rents, August 2026 (provisional - it may still be revised)

50% of local homes with an energy certificate are rated C or better.

Source: Office for National Statistics, energy certificates up to March 2025