Selective licensing in Manchester
Yes. Manchester operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need a selective licence in Manchester?
Yes. Manchester operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Manchester does the scheme cover?
Three cohorts. 2022 cohort, 1 May 2022 to 30 April 2027: Clayton and Openshaw; Gorton and Abbey Hey (Hyde Road); Gorton and Abbey Hey (Ladders); Harpurhey. 2023 cohort, 9 August 2023 to 8 August 2028: Longsight (The Royals); Levenshulme (Matthews Lane); Moss Side (Great Western Street and Claremont Road); Rusholme (Laindon and Dickenson Road) and (Birch Lane). 2025 cohort, 24 May 2025 to 23 May 2030: Cheetham (flats above shops, Esmond and Avondale); Crumpsall (Enver Road); Harpurhey (Whiteway Street); Longsight (Heathcote and Sanby Road, Northmoor Road); Miles Platting and Newton Heath (Droylsden Road, Scotland Street); Moss Side (Viscount Street, Heald Grove). Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Manchester's scheme end?
The designation runs until 23 May 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£591. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Manchester before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
Manchester — manchester.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
What the designation says
Manchester City Council operates multiple selective licensing schemes (designated 2017 onwards) across many areas of the city. The current active designations cover approximately 3,900 privately rented properties across multiple wards. Key designations: Scheme 1 (1 May 2022 to 30 April 2027) covers parts of Gorton and Abbey Hey, Harpurhey, Clayton and Openshaw. Scheme 2 (9 August 2023 to 8 August 2028) covers parts of Levenshulme, Moss Side and Whalley Range, Rusholme, The Royals and Longsight. Scheme 3 (24 May 2025 to 23 May 2030, the most recent) covers parts of Cheetham, Crumpsall, Harpurhey, Longsight, Miles Platting and Newton Heath, and Moss Side. The 2025 designation followed Cabinet approval on 24 February 2025 after a 2024 consultation. Since the schemes began in 2017, the council has fully licensed over 3,400 properties and identified more than 1,700 hazards. Selective licence fee starts at £798 (Scheme 3 fee is £964 per licence with discounts for early bird applications). Manchester has approximately 100,000 PRS properties (40% of the total housing stock).
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Manchester before letting.