Do you need a landlord licence in Manchester?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Manchester depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Manchester (North West), like every English council, must license larger HMOs, and it can also designate areas for additional or selective licensing. Here’s what each means, what happens if you get it wrong, and how to check Manchester’s current rules.

Licensing in Manchester as at 25 September 2026

Manchester runs selective licensing (the Ladders, Hyde Road, Trinity and Ben Street areas, from 1 May 2022 until 30 April 2027; the Royals, Matthews Lane, Moss Side and Rusholme areas, from 9 August 2023 until 8 August 2028; the 2025 areas in Cheetham, Crumpsall, Harpurhey, Longsight, Miles Platting & Newton Heath and Moss Side, from 24 May 2025 until 23 May 2030), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

2022 areas

Area: The Ladders and Hyde Road (Gorton & Abbey Hey), Trinity (Harpurhey) and Ben Street (Clayton & Openshaw)

Scheme dates: From 1 May 2022 until 30 April 2027

Fee: £798 (£402 application + £396 grant); £694 for a subsequent application

2023 areas

Area: The Royals (Longsight), Matthews Lane (Levenshulme), Great Western Street / Claremont Road (Moss Side), and Laindon / Dickenson Road and Birch Lane (Rusholme)

Scheme dates: From 9 August 2023 until 8 August 2028

Fee: £936 (£490 application + £446 grant); £828 for a subsequent application

2025 areas

Area: Flats above shops and the Esmond / Avondale area (Cheetham), Enver Road area (Crumpsall), Whiteway Street area (Harpurhey), Heathcote / Sanby Road and Northmoor Road areas (Longsight), Droylsden Road and Scotland Street areas (Miles Platting & Newton Heath), and Viscount Street and Heald Grove areas (Moss Side)

Scheme dates: From 24 May 2025 until 23 May 2030

Fee: £964 (£469 application + £495 grant); £864 for a subsequent application

Additional HMO licensing
No additional HMO licensing scheme in force in Manchester.
Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies everywhere in Manchester, as across England, to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households.

Each area is a handful of streets. Check the council's street lists and maps for your address. Manchester says it does not currently have an additional HMO licensing scheme.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Designations and fees change. Confirm your exact address and the live fee with Manchester before you apply.

The three types of licence

  • Mandatory HMO licence. Required across England for larger HMOs — typically a property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This applies in Manchester regardless of any local scheme.
  • Additional HMO licence. Manchester can extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs in designated parts of its area.
  • Selective licence. Manchester can require a licence for all privately rented homes — including ordinary single-family lets — within a designated area. Larger schemes need government approval, and they’re used in areas with specific housing or anti-social-behaviour concerns.

The penalties for renting unlicensed in Manchester

Letting a property that needs a licence without one is a criminal offence. You risk an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent, and a possible banning order. (Those are the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act raised them from £30,000 and 12 months.)

How to check Manchester's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Manchester’s website for “property licensing” or “landlord licensing”, check whether your postcode falls inside a designated area, and note the licence type, the boundaries and the scheme dates. If in doubt, contact Manchester’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Manchester’s own licensing page on 25 September 2026.

Never miss a licensing deadline

LandlordReady tracks the licences and certificates each of your properties needs and warns you before they lapse — so a renewal or a new Manchester scheme doesn’t catch you out.

Start with LandlordReady →

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to rent out a property in Manchester?

As at 25 September 2026, Manchester runs selective licensing (the Ladders, Hyde Road, Trinity and Ben Street areas, from 1 May 2022 until 30 April 2027; the Royals, Matthews Lane, Moss Side and Rusholme areas, from 9 August 2023 until 8 August 2028; the 2025 areas in Cheetham, Crumpsall, Harpurhey, Longsight, Miles Platting & Newton Heath and Moss Side, from 24 May 2025 until 23 May 2030), on top of mandatory HMO licensing. If your property is in a selective licensing area, you need a licence for any privately rented home there — including an ordinary single let — unless it is exempt or licensed as an HMO. A larger HMO (five or more people, two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Manchester. Check your exact address on Manchester's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Manchester?

Manchester's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence (2022 areas): £798 (£402 application + £396 grant); £694 for a subsequent application. Selective licence (2023 areas): £936 (£490 application + £446 grant); £828 for a subsequent application. Selective licence (2025 areas): £964 (£469 application + £495 grant); £864 for a subsequent application. Fees are set by the council and can change, so confirm the current figure before you apply.

What happens if I rent without a required licence in Manchester?

Renting an unlicensed property that needs a licence is a criminal offence. You can face an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent (the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026).

Check landlord licensing in other areas.