Owning a home occupied by tenants is rarely plain sailing. Especially in a metropolitan area like Manchester, with its busy market and endemic property laws, homeowners will get a better experience renting out their property by familiarising themselves with the legal landscape.

What makes Manchester different?

Manchester’s unique property laws are worth keeping an eye on, particularly for landlords who want to expand the number of tenants in a property, those looking to sell their rental unit, and those looking to begin letting out their home.

Where other places in the area would not normally require planning permission, in Manchester it is illegal to change the “use” of a property without planning permission. If the house is not currently used as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), legal permission is necessary to rent the home out to more than two unrelated people.

This can be indispensable knowledge to homeowners who might have one or two tenants, but need to expand to make the income from the house worthwhile.

With Manchester City Council stating “we would be unlikely to let you change your property into an HMO if there are a lot of other shared houses nearby”, owners with homes in student-heavy areas and high-density neighbourhoods may benefit more from selling when expanding is not an option.

Selling a house with tenants

Selling a house with tenants will go through a big change very soon and will greatly impact the speed in which a landlord can sell their property. Depending, of course, on how they want to sell it.

Currently, if a landlord wants to sell their property to a homebuyer who wants to live in it, they can often give the current tenants 60 days’ notice to leave the premises. This is known officially as a Section 21 Notice, and colloquially a ‘no fault’ eviction.

In September 2024, however, the Renters’ Rights Bill was published. This means that Section 21 will eventually be abolished, once it has got through parliament. On one single day, likely around the summer of 2025, all tenancies old and new will change.

From that point onwards, tenants have the security of a 12-month minimum stay before landlords can sell the property to private buyers. Even then, landlords must provide tenants with a minimum of 120 days’ notice to leave. This notice is double the current legislation.

This Act brings in new legal parameters that acknowledge and protect tenants’ rights while selling. For landlords needing to sell for whatever reason, this will inevitably slow their process down. However, there are other ways for a landlord to sell their house fast in Manchester.

Services like We Buy Any Home can purchase tenanted properties, supplying a free cash offer within minutes. These services buy the home in as little as 7 days and take on the responsibilities of adhering to the tenancy contract. The landlord no longer needs to wait out the agreement, nor has to navigate the dynamic climate of property law before selling.

A Round Up

Complying with property law is ever-changing, and keeping up with the latest developments will ensure a smoother experience for a landlord. Turning to services that buy homes for cash can streamline the sale of a house with tenants, whilst still accounting for these legal responsibilities.