Bury Landlord Compliance 2026 — Renters' Rights Act, HMO Licensing and Greater Manchester Obligations

Renters' Rights Act 2025 — England-wide obligations from 1 May 2026

All Bury private landlords must comply with these national changes from 1 May 2026:

• Section 21 abolished: No-fault eviction notices served on or after 1 May 2026 are unlawful. All possession must use Section 8 and one of the revised Schedule 2 grounds only
• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must use a Periodic Assured Tenancy (PAT) Agreement. Fixed-term ASTs are no longer permitted for new private residential lets in England
• Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to, investigating, and repairing damp, mould, and other HHSRS hazards apply to all private landlords from 1 May 2026
• Information Sheet obligation: Every landlord with an existing tenancy as at 1 May 2026 must have delivered the official RRA 2025 Information Sheet to every named tenant by 31 May 2026. If not yet served, serve immediately and document delivery — penalties up to £7,000 per tenancy
• Pet request right: Tenants on PATs may request a pet in writing. Landlords must respond within 42 days; silence after that period is treated as deemed consent
• Civil penalties up to £40,000: The RRA 2025 raises maximum civil penalties for PRS non-compliance to £40,000 per offence
• Section 13 rent increase only: Rent on a PAT can only be raised via formal Section 13 notice (Form 4A) with at least 2 months' advance notice. Contractual rent-review clauses in new agreements are unenforceable

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council — HMO licensing

Bury MBC administers mandatory HMO licensing under the Housing Act 2004 for qualifying properties across the borough.

• Mandatory HMO licensing: All properties in Bury occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households require a mandatory HMO licence. This applies borough-wide, covering Bury town centre, Radcliffe, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, and Prestwich
• Selective licensing: Bury MBC has not operated a borough-wide selective licensing scheme, but individual ward or area designations are possible. Landlords should check the BMBC website for any current or proposed designations in their specific area before letting
• Additional HMO licensing: Check with Bury MBC whether any additional licensing applies to smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants) in specific wards. Councils within Greater Manchester have been expanding licensing coverage and additional licensing designations in high-PRS areas are increasingly common
• Licence conditions: HMO licence conditions include minimum room sizes (6.51 m² for a single adult, 10.22 m² for two adults), fire detection requirements, emergency lighting, and maximum occupancy. Breach of licence conditions is a criminal offence
• No-licence bar to possession: An unlicensed HMO landlord cannot rely on Ground 8 (mandatory rent arrears) in Section 8 proceedings and is exposed to rent repayment orders of up to 12 months' rent

Greater Manchester Combined Authority — landlord context

Bury is one of ten Greater Manchester boroughs. The GMCA context matters for landlords because neighbouring boroughs' enforcement approaches influence regional standards.

• Selective licensing in Greater Manchester: Several GMCA boroughs including Manchester, Salford, and Oldham operate selective licensing schemes covering large parts of their private rented sectors. Bury landlords with properties in multiple boroughs must comply with each borough's specific scheme
• GMCA Decent Homes Standard push: The GMCA has advocated for higher property standards across the combined authority area. Housing enforcement by Bury MBC is likely to align with this regional priority, particularly for older housing stock
• Regional enforcement intelligence sharing: Local housing authorities across Greater Manchester share enforcement intelligence. Landlords with non-compliance records in one borough may attract scrutiny across the region
• Rental values and demand: Bury benefits from good transport links to Manchester city centre via Metrolink (tram) and rail, supporting strong and stable rental demand for 1- and 2-bedroom properties from commuters and young professionals
• Housing stock characteristics: Bury has a significant proportion of terraced housing from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. These properties are more susceptible to condensation and penetrating damp — both of which are now subject to Awaab's Law mandatory repair obligations

Awaab's Law — Bury context

Bury's older housing stock, including large numbers of solid-wall terraced properties, means damp and mould remain among the most common hazards reported. Awaab's Law creates mandatory investigation and repair obligations for all PRS landlords.

• Acknowledge every report in writing: Written acknowledgment is required for all damp, mould, or HHSRS hazard reports. Verbal or informal responses do not satisfy the obligation
• Investigate within the statutory timeframe: Inspect, identify the root cause (condensation, rising damp, penetrating damp, or structural defect), and document findings within the statutory period
• Repair within the repair period: Remediation must address the underlying cause. Surface treatments applied over persistent mould without resolving the cause will not comply with the statute
• Emergency hazards — 24 hours: Burst pipes causing structural damp, faulty heating in winter creating health risk, or blocked flues creating carbon monoxide risk must be addressed within 24 hours
• Document every stage: Retain records of all reports, inspections, repair instructions, invoices, and completion dates. These will be required to demonstrate compliance in any investigation or penalty appeal

Key documents Bury landlords need

LetSafe UK provides all compliance documents for England landlords, each drafted to current RRA 2025 requirements:

• Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement (England): PAT-compliant tenancy agreement for all new Bury lettings from 1 May 2026, including all prescribed information, pet clause, and RRA 2025 provisions
• Section 8 Notice (Form 3A): RRA 2025-compliant Form 3A updated for all mandatory and discretionary grounds in force from 1 May 2026
• Section 13 Rent Increase Notice (Form 4A): The only lawful method of increasing rent on a PAT — 2-month advance notice with First-tier Tribunal appeal rights
• RRA 2025 Information Sheet: Required for all existing tenants. Serve immediately if not yet delivered; document service with email confirmation or signed receipt

Frequently asked questions