Manchester · 2026 fees
Landlord licence fees Manchester 2026
Every fee below is Manchester City Council's own published figure, read from the page linked beside it and checked on 20 September 2026. This page sets out which licence a Manchester property needs, what each one costs, how the payment is split between application and grant, and which discounts come off.
| Scheme | Council | Fee | Term | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | Manchester City Council | £1,321Council’s figure | 5 yrs | For five occupants, as an admin fee of £865 plus a grant fee of £456. It rises with occupancy: £1,421 for 6 to 9, £1,521 for 10 to 14, up to £2,721 for 50 or more. A second and later application saves £50, a renewal £200. Council page |
| Additional HMO | Manchester City Council | £1,321Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Same banded scale as the mandatory licence, from £1,321 for five occupants. Designated wards only. Council page |
| Selective licensing | Manchester City Council | £798Council’s figure | 5 yrs | There is no single Manchester selective fee: it depends which designation your street falls in. The 2022 areas, Clayton and Openshaw, both Gorton and Abbey Hey areas and Harpurhey, are £798 (£402 on application, £396 on grant). The 2023 areas in Longsight, Levenshulme, Moss Side and Rusholme are £936, and the 2025 areas in Cheetham, Crumpsall, Harpurhey, Longsight, Miles Platting and Newton Heath and Moss Side are £964. Applying inside the three-month designation period earns an early bird discount, £591, £736 or £764, and a second property is cheaper again. Council page |
How to read these Manchester licence fees
Which fee applies depends on the type of licence a property needs. Three regimes operate across England, and the schedule above covers Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO and Selective licensing in Manchester:
- Mandatory HMO licence, required for any house in multiple occupation with five or more people forming two or more households, anywhere in England.
- Additional HMO licence, which a council can extend HMO licensing to smaller shared houses inside a designated area.
- Selective licence, covering most or all privately rented homes (not just HMOs) within a specific designated zone, set in five-yearly cycles.
Fees are set per council, usually run for a five-year term and are commonly charged per property, though some authorities add a per-room element for larger HMOs. Following the Hemming and Gaskin court rulings, many councils now split the cost into a Part A application charge and a Part B grant charge, so the headline figure can be payable in two stages. Early-application and accreditation discounts are widely available and can cut the total noticeably.
Because each authority sets and reviews its own schedule independently, two neighbouring councils can differ by hundreds of pounds for the same property. Budget from the specific council’s current fee page, linked in the table, rather than a city-wide average.
FAQs: landlord licence fees in Manchester
How much does a landlord licence cost in Manchester in 2026?
Manchester City Council publishes these fees: Mandatory HMO £1,321, Additional HMO £1,321 and Selective licensing £798. Each covers 5 years and came straight off the council page linked beside each row, checked on 20 September 2026. The table shows how a fee splits between the application and the grant, and which discounts come off. Most councils reprice on 1 April.
Are licence fees per property or per landlord?
Per property. If you own multiple let properties in designated areas, each one typically needs its own licence and fee. Some councils run portfolio discounts for accredited landlords.
What happens if I let without a licence?
Letting a property that requires a selective or HMO licence without one is a criminal offence. Civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences from 1 May 2026, and tenants can apply for a Rent Repayment Order of up to two years’ rent. Ignorance of the scheme is not a defence.
Do licence fees change year to year?
Yes. Most councils reprice on 1 April and a new scheme cycle can move the fee further. The amounts above are Manchester City Council's published figures as at 20 September 2026; the council link beside each row is always the live position.
Can I claim licence fees as a rental expense?
HMRC generally treats landlord licence fees as a deductible rental business expense for income tax where the licence is required to let the property. If the fee covers more than one tax year you may need to apportion it. Check with your accountant for your circumstances.
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