Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council's private rented sector has grown substantially over the past decade. Lower property prices relative to Manchester city centre have attracted buy-to-let investors to Wigan, Leigh, Atherton, Hindley, Ince, and Abram. The Renters' Rights Act 2025, entering force on 1 May 2026, applies equally to every private landlord in the borough — regardless of property size or portfolio scale.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has been developing a more coordinated approach to private rented sector standards across the ten Greater Manchester boroughs. While Wigan Council does not currently operate a borough-wide selective licensing scheme, HMO licensing obligations apply fully and proactive enforcement by Wigan's Housing Standards team has increased in recent years.
Renters' Rights Act 2025 — England-wide obligations from 1 May 2026
All private landlords in England — including Wigan — must comply with the following from 1 May 2026:
- Section 21 abolished: No-fault eviction notices served on or after 1 May 2026 are unlawful. Possession is only available via Section 8 using the revised Schedule 2 grounds
- Periodic Assured Tenancy (PAT) required: All new tenancies from 1 May 2026 must be periodic from day one. Fixed-term ASTs are no longer permitted for new assured tenancies
- Awaab's Law in force: Mandatory statutory timeframes for responding to and repairing damp, mould, and HHSRS Category 1 hazards. Wigan's older terraced and semi-detached housing stock means high enforcement relevance
- Information Sheet obligation: All landlords with existing tenancies as at 1 May 2026 must serve the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet on every named tenant by 31 May 2026. Penalty: up to £7,000 per tenancy
- Pet request right: Tenants on a PAT have a statutory right to request a pet. Landlords must respond in writing within 42 days; silence is deemed consent
- Section 13 rent increases only: Contractual rent-review clauses in PATs are unenforceable. Rent increases must be served via Form 4A with the correct notice period
- Civil penalties up to £40,000: The RRA 2025 raises the maximum civil penalty for PRS non-compliance to £40,000 per offence
HMO licensing in Wigan — what landlords must know
Wigan Council does not currently operate a borough-wide selective licensing scheme. However, mandatory and additional HMO licensing obligations apply to landlords in the borough:
- Mandatory HMO licensing (nationwide): Any property housing 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households requires a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004 — regardless of location
- Wigan's additional HMO licensing: Check Wigan Council's current housing portal for any additional HMO licensing designations covering smaller HMOs (3–4 person) in specific wards. Designations are renewed and modified periodically
- Licence conditions: HMO licences contain specific conditions on fire safety, room sizes, facilities, and management standards. Non-compliance with licence conditions is a separate civil offence from unlicensed operation
- Fit and proper person test: Wigan Housing Standards will assess whether the proposed licence holder (and any managing agent) meets the fit and proper person requirement before granting a licence
- Greater Manchester GMCA: Andy Burnham's mayoral office has been consulting on a Greater Manchester-wide approach to private rented sector standards. Monitor GMCA announcements — borough-level selective licensing consultations could follow
Awaab's Law — Wigan enforcement context
Wigan Borough has a high proportion of pre-1940s terraced housing in town-centre areas and older pit village communities. This stock is particularly susceptible to damp and mould. Awaab's Law creates mandatory repair timeframes that Wigan landlords must now meet:
- Acknowledge reports promptly: Acknowledge every tenant report of damp, mould, or an HHSRS hazard in writing — same day is best practice
- Investigate within 14 days: Inspect the property and document findings within the statutory investigation period
- Emergency repairs within 24 hours: Heating failures and serious water ingress must have works begun within 24 hours — not just a contractor booked
- Root-cause repair only: Painting over mould without addressing the underlying cause (ventilation, structural moisture) fails the Awaab's Law standard and creates liability when the mould recurs
- Maintain a hazard log: Log every tenant report, inspection date, findings, works instructed, completion date, and contractor name — this is your primary defence in enforcement action
- Wigan Housing Standards: Wigan Council's Housing Standards team has increased proactive inspections. Do not assume reactive-only enforcement
Section 8 possession in Wigan — 2026 key points
Wigan County Court handles Section 8 possession claims for Wigan Borough properties. County Court delays are a material operational risk — ensure all pre-action steps are correct before issuing:
- Ground 8 (rent arrears): Mandatory ground — at least two months' rent owed at both notice date and hearing date. Most commonly used possession ground
- Ground 1A (sale): Landlord intends to sell. Two months' notice. Six-month moratorium from tenancy start. Requires prior service of the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet
- Ground 1 (own occupation): Landlord or close family intends to occupy. Two months' notice. Requires prior service of the Information Sheet
- Ground 14 (anti-social behaviour): Discretionary ground; effective at notice date without minimum notice period. Evidence must be meticulous
- Form 3A: The prescribed Section 8 notice form — errors invalidate the notice and require re-serving from scratch
- Information Sheet pre-condition: For Grounds 1 and 1A, the court will strike out the claim if you cannot show the Information Sheet was served before the Section 8 notice
MEES and EPC compliance for Wigan landlords
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards require an EPC rating of E or above for all privately rented properties in England. Wigan's older housing stock makes EPC compliance particularly relevant:
- EPC E minimum — now: Letting a property rated F or G without a registered exemption is a civil offence with penalties up to £5,000
- EPC C target by 2030: Government policy proposes a minimum EPC C rating for new tenancies from 2028 and all tenancies from 2030. Plan capital works now for older terraced stock
- Cost cap exemption: If the cost of improvements to reach EPC E exceeds £3,500, you may register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register
- Wigan solid-wall terraces: Many pre-war Wigan terraces have solid walls requiring external or internal wall insulation — specialist advice is essential before committing to improvement works
2026 Wigan landlord compliance checklist
Every item below is a legal obligation — not a recommendation:
- HMO licensing: check Wigan Council's current designation maps and hold a valid licence where required before letting
- New tenancy agreements: use a Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement from 1 May 2026 onwards — no fixed-term ASTs for new assured tenancies
- Information Sheet: serve the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet on all existing tenants by 31 May 2026
- Awaab's Law log: establish a written hazard reporting and repair log before any new tenancy commences
- Gas Safety Certificate: annually renewed; copy to tenant before or on day of move-in
- EICR: current (within 5 years); copy to tenant within 28 days of request
- EPC: minimum E rating; valid (issued within 10 years); copy to tenant at start of tenancy
- Deposit protection: scheme protection and Prescribed Information within 30 days of receipt
- Right to Rent: check all adult occupants' immigration status before tenancy start
- Smoke and CO alarms: smoke detector on every floor used as living accommodation; CO alarm in every room with a combustion appliance
Frequently asked questions
Does Wigan have selective licensing for private landlords in 2026?+
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council does not currently operate a borough-wide selective licensing scheme. However, you must still comply with mandatory HMO licensing if your property houses 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households. Check Wigan Council's housing portal for the current position on any additional HMO licensing or selective licensing designations, as these can be introduced or updated without significant advance notice.
What happens to my existing AST in Wigan after 1 May 2026?+
An existing Assured Shorthold Tenancy converts to a Periodic Assured Tenancy by operation of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 from 1 May 2026. You must serve the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet on every named tenant by 31 May 2026. You can no longer use Section 21 — possession from 1 May 2026 requires a valid Section 8 notice using a prescribed ground.
My Wigan property has 4 bedrooms rented to students. Do I need an HMO licence?+
It depends on the number of occupants and households. A property with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households requires a mandatory HMO licence regardless of location. A property with 3–4 occupants may require an additional HMO licence if Wigan Council operates an additional licensing scheme for your property's ward. Check Wigan Council's housing licensing portal for the current position before letting.
What is the penalty for failing to serve the Information Sheet by 31 May 2026?+
Up to £7,000 per tenancy. Additionally, you cannot serve a valid Section 8 Ground 1 (landlord occupation) or Ground 1A (sale) notice unless you can show the Information Sheet was served first. If you issue a Section 8 notice for these grounds without prior service of the Information Sheet, the court will strike out your possession claim.
How will Greater Manchester Combined Authority's approach affect Wigan landlords?+
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority, led by Mayor Andy Burnham, has been developing a coordinated approach to private rented sector standards across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs. While the GMCA cannot itself introduce licensing schemes (these are a borough council function), it can apply significant political pressure for consistent enforcement and has been working on a Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter. Monitor GMCA housing announcements — additional licensing obligations for Wigan landlords could follow mayoral policy decisions.