If you own a rental property in Manchester – whether that’s a city-centre apartment in Ancoats, a terrace in Gorton or a flat elsewhere in Greater Manchester – 2026 has brought significant changes to the way private tenancies operate.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is now law in England, with its main tenancy reforms taking effect on 1 May 2026. Section 21 has been abolished, assured tenancies are now periodic, and landlords need to follow revised rules around possession and rent increases. Further reforms, including the new Private Rented Sector Database, are due to follow.
Here’s what landlords need to know.
What the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 means for Manchester landlords
The first major phase of the Renters’ Rights Act reforms came into force on 1 May 2026 and applies to both new and existing tenancies in the private rented sector.
The end of Section 21 no-fault evictions
Section 21 – which previously allowed landlords to seek possession without establishing a specific statutory ground – has been abolished.
Landlords seeking possession must now rely on the appropriate grounds under the revised Section 8 framework. These include grounds relating to rent arrears and antisocial behaviour, as well as circumstances where a landlord genuinely intends to sell the property or move themselves or qualifying family members into it.
That makes accurate records and following the correct possession procedure particularly important. Landlords should ensure their tenancy documentation and management processes reflect the rules that have applied since 1 May 2026.
Periodic tenancies are now the standard
The new tenancy regime also ended fixed-term assured tenancies in the private rented sector. Existing and new assured tenancies operate on a periodic basis under the new framework.
Landlords therefore need to make sure their tenancy agreements, rent-review procedures and possession processes reflect the current system rather than relying on documentation designed around the previous assured shorthold tenancy regime.
A new Private Rented Sector Database is coming
The Renters’ Rights Act provides for a mandatory private rented sector database, but landlords should be clear about the implementation timetable.
As of August 2026, the database is not yet a general registration requirement for landlords. The government’s implementation roadmap says the database and associated guidance will begin to go live for landlords and local authorities from late 2026.
Landlords should therefore prepare for the new system and monitor government guidance as the rollout approaches.
The Decent Homes Standard is a future reform
The Renters’ Rights Act also provides for the Decent Homes Standard to be extended to privately rented homes.
However, the new private rented sector standard is not yet in force in August 2026. The government’s roadmap lists its implementation date as still to be confirmed and subject to consultation.
Landlords already have important responsibilities for property condition, repairs and safety but should avoid confusing those existing duties with the future implementation of the private rented sector Decent Homes Standard.
EPC ratings: what Manchester landlords need to know
Privately rented properties within scope must currently meet the existing Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, generally requiring an EPC rating of E or above unless a valid exemption applies.
The government has now confirmed its direction for higher standards. Private landlords will be required to comply with the new energy-efficiency standard by 1 October 2030, subject to the necessary legislation and applicable exemptions.
Importantly, this is no longer the previously proposed approach of introducing an earlier deadline specifically for new tenancies.
The future system will also use reformed EPC metrics rather than simply requiring every landlord to move from today’s EPC rating to today’s version of Band C. The government has confirmed a maximum required investment of £10,000 per property over a ten-year period, alongside exemptions in qualifying circumstances.
For landlords with properties currently rated D or E, reviewing energy performance now can still make sense. An accredited assessor can help identify measures appropriate to the individual property, but landlords should keep up with government guidance as the detailed regulations and new EPC system are implemented.
What rents look like in Manchester in 2026
Rather than relying on unsupported neighbourhood-level yield estimates, the latest ONS figures provide a useful benchmark for the wider Manchester market.
The average private rent in the Manchester local authority area was £1,358 per month in June 2026, up 3.5% from £1,312 a year earlier.
Average monthly rents by bedroom count were:
- One bedroom: £993
- Two bedrooms: £1,221
- Three bedrooms: £1,417
- Four or more bedrooms: £1,997
Manchester’s average house price was provisionally £247,000 in May 2026, broadly unchanged from a year earlier. Flats and maisonettes averaged £192,000, while terraced homes averaged £249,000.
These figures provide useful context, but landlords should still obtain a property-specific rental valuation. Achievable rent can vary considerably by street, property type, condition, specification and exact location.
Salford is a separate rental market
Landlords should also be careful not to treat Manchester and Salford as a single local-authority rental market.
Salford is a separate city and local authority, with its own housing data and landlord licensing requirements.
According to the ONS, the average private rent in Salford was £1,164 per month in June 2026, up 3.9% from £1,121 a year earlier.
Average Salford rents by bedroom count were:
- One bedroom: £884
- Two bedrooms: £1,080
- Three bedrooms: £1,280
- Four or more bedrooms: £1,763
The average Salford house price was provisionally £231,000 in May 2026.
Individual developments and neighbourhoods such as Ancoats, Salford Quays and other city-centre locations can perform very differently from these local-authority averages, so investors should assess current achieved and advertised rents alongside purchase prices before calculating a potential gross yield.
Understanding Manchester’s different rental locations
Manchester and the surrounding urban area contain very different rental markets, so property type and tenant demand should be assessed at the neighbourhood level rather than assuming the same strategy works everywhere.
Ancoats and the city centre
Ancoats provides convenient access to Manchester city centre and has undergone extensive residential regeneration, with converted industrial buildings sitting alongside modern apartment developments.
For landlords considering apartments here, the important figures are the property’s purchase price, realistic achievable rent, service charges, ground rent, where applicable, financing costs and expected maintenance expenditure.
These costs can make a substantial difference between an attractive headline gross yield and the landlord’s actual return.
Cheetham Hill, Miles Platting and Gorton
These neighbourhoods contain a varied mix of terraced houses, apartments and other residential property.
Landlords considering investment here should assess current rents and comparable sales at street level rather than relying on a broad postcode-wide yield estimate.
Local licensing is particularly important because parts of these neighbourhoods fall within Manchester City Council’s selective licensing areas.
Hulme and Ardwick
Hulme and Ardwick offer relatively close access to Manchester city centre, major universities, hospitals and employment areas.
However, proximity to these institutions should not automatically be treated as proof of a particular level of rental demand or investment return. Landlords should look at current comparable listings, achieved rents, property condition and local supply before making an investment decision.
Old Trafford
Old Trafford is within the Trafford local authority area, rather than Manchester City Council.
That distinction matters because landlord licensing, planning policies and other local requirements can differ between councils.
If you own or are considering buying a rental property in Old Trafford, check Trafford Council requirements as well as the national rules applying to private landlords.
Check whether your property needs a local licence
This is one of the most important compliance checks for landlords operating across Manchester and Salford.
Manchester City Council currently operates selective licensing schemes in a number of designated areas, including parts of Cheetham, Gorton and Abbey Hey, and Miles Platting and Newton Heath, alongside several other neighbourhoods.
Selective licensing does not necessarily apply to every property within the wider neighbourhood. Landlords should check the council’s current maps and street-level information for the exact property.
Salford operates separate licensing arrangements. A selective licensing scheme covering designated parts of Broughton, Kersal and Broughton Park began on 21 January 2026 and is scheduled to run until 20 January 2031. Operating a privately rented property covered by that scheme without the required licence can constitute a criminal offence.
Landlords of houses in multiple occupations should separately check whether mandatory or additional HMO licensing requirements apply.
Practical property management for Manchester landlords
Whether you own one rental home or a larger portfolio, getting the fundamentals right is increasingly important.
Stay on top of compliance
Your exact obligations depend on the property and tenancy, but key areas to check include:
- A valid EPC and compliance with the current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
- Annual gas safety checks where gas appliances are provided
- Electrical safety requirements, including the required Electrical Installation Condition Report
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements
- Tenancy deposit protection requirements
- Current tenancy documentation that reflects the post-May 2026 tenancy system
- Any mandatory, additional or selective property licence required by the relevant council
- The Renters’ Rights Act possession and rent-increase procedures
- Future Private Rented Sector Database requirements as the system is introduced
For portfolios spanning Manchester, Salford and Trafford, don’t assume that satisfying one council’s licensing requirements means you’re compliant everywhere else.
Review rents carefully
The Renters’ Rights Act has changed the framework for increasing rent.
Under the new tenancy system, landlords generally use the statutory Section 13 process to increase rent, with increases generally limited to once a year. Tenants can challenge a proposed increase through the relevant tribunal process where they believe it exceeds the market rate.
That makes an accurate market valuation increasingly important.
Rather than assuming that recent rental growth means every property can support an increase, landlords should benchmark against comparable homes of a similar size, condition and location.
Keep good property records
Accurate records are increasingly important under the new regulatory framework.
Keep copies of safety documentation, inspections, repair correspondence, tenancy documents, rent records and communications with tenants.
Good documentation can make property management more efficient and is particularly important if a landlord needs to rely on one of the statutory possession grounds.
Keep maintenance proactive
Responding promptly to genuine maintenance issues protects the condition of the property and helps landlords meet their legal obligations.
For portfolio landlords, a planned maintenance schedule can also make costs easier to anticipate instead of waiting for problems to become urgent.
What Manchester landlords should do next
The fundamentals of managing a rental property haven’t disappeared: landlords still need to understand their market, maintain their properties, price them appropriately and meet their legal responsibilities.
What has changed significantly in 2026 is the regulatory framework.
Section 21 has gone. The periodic tenancy system is in place. Rent increases operate under the revised statutory framework. The PRS Database is approaching, while future decent homes and energy-efficiency requirements remain important areas to monitor.
Local regulation matters too. A landlord with properties in Manchester, Salford and Trafford can potentially be dealing with three different local authorities alongside the same national legislation.
How Hunters Manchester can help
Hunters Manchester is here to help you do exactly that.
Book a free valuation today and find out what your property could achieve in the current market. Or get in touch with the Hunters Manchester team directly to talk through your portfolio, your compliance questions or your next investment move. We’re here to get you there.
Here to get you there.
