Manchester HMO Licensing in 2026

Mandatory HMO licensing applies across the whole of England, including Manchester, when a property meets all three of the following tests:

• Five or more occupants from two or more separate households
• Tenants share at least one of the basic amenities (kitchen, bathroom, toilet)
• The property is the occupants' main residence

A "household" includes couples, families, and people in a settled relationship. Five unrelated sharers in a single house always count as five separate households. A licence is required regardless of the number of storeys, following the removal of the three-storey rule in 2018.

Manchester City Council has used its powers under the Housing Act 2004 to designate additional licensing schemes covering smaller HMOs (three or four occupants from two or more households). Schemes have run at various times in:

• Crumpsall
• Moss Side
• Rusholme
• Fallowfield
• Old Moat

Designations run for five years and must be re-declared by the council if they are to continue. Always check the council's current designations on manchester.gov.uk before letting, because the boundaries and end dates change. Operating an HMO in a designated area without an additional licence is the same offence as operating without a mandatory licence.

Manchester City Council sets its own fees. At the time of writing:

• Mandatory HMO licence: around £1,150 for a five-year licence
• Additional HMO licence (smaller HMOs in designated areas): around £750 for a five-year licence
• Renewal fees are typically slightly lower than first applications
• Reduced fees are available for accredited landlords and members of recognised schemes

Fees are reviewed periodically. The official fee schedule on manchester.gov.uk is the authoritative source.

Every Manchester HMO licence comes with conditions you must comply with throughout the five-year term. Standard conditions include:

• Annual gas safety check and current Gas Safety Record
• Electrical Installation Condition Report every five years
• Working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms in every room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance
• Minimum room sizes: 6.51 sqm for a single bedroom, 10.22 sqm for a double
• Furniture compliant with fire safety regulations
• A written statement of conditions provided to each occupant
• Procedures for dealing with anti-social behaviour

The council can attach additional conditions specific to your property if it identifies particular risks during inspection.

HMO licensing and the Renters' Rights Act 2025 run in parallel. Holding an HMO licence does not exempt you from any RRA obligation, and complying with the RRA does not satisfy your licensing duty. Specifically:

• Every assured shorthold tenancy in your HMO becomes assured periodic on 1 May 2026
• You must serve the prescribed tenant information leaflet
• Section 21 is no longer available; use Section 8 for possession (Ground 4A applies to student lets where you intend to re-let to students next year)
• You must register on the PRS Database when it opens, providing your HMO licence number as part of the property record

Failure to hold a valid HMO licence also blocks Section 8 possession claims. The court can refuse possession to an unlicensed landlord.

The penalties stack:

• Civil penalty up to £30,000 per offence, issued by Manchester City Council
• Criminal prosecution with an unlimited fine on conviction
• Rent Repayment Order: tenants can reclaim up to 12 months of rent paid during the unlicensed period
• Banning order for repeat offenders, prohibiting all future letting
• Inclusion on the national rogue landlord database
• Possession claims may be refused by the County Court

Manchester City Council's Housing Standards team has been active in pursuing unlicensed HMOs and frequently uses civil penalties as a faster alternative to criminal prosecution.