Manchester landlords look set to face more selective licencing after the council revealed it was recruiting a project manager to research new licensing areas.

Its job advert explains that the successful candidate will review the city’s current programme and contribute to its plans for improving the safety, quality, and management of privately rented homes.

It adds that the new manager will be: ‘Collecting and analysing data and intelligence to inform the selection of new licensing areas’.

The council explains that it is committed to sustaining, expanding and evolving its selective licensing programme, and aims for its PRS to becomes a “model of excellence”.

Further investigation

The new manager will review the current schemes and develop recommendations for licensing options. It has previously explained that potential schemes in Cheetham will need further investigation and has promised to review the case for including this area in a future phase following further consultation.  

Manchester introduced its first selective licensing scheme in 2017 and since then has pursued a rolling programme which has encompassed almost 4,000 privately rented homes across three phases.

In May, LandlordZONE reported that four more selective licensing schemes had opened in the city, so that landlords in eight areas now need to apply for a licence.

They cover Levenshulme: Matthews Lane, Longsight: The Royals, Moss Side & Whalley Range: Claremont Road/Great Western Street/Bowes Street, Rusholme: Birch Lane, Off Laindon Road and Dickenson Road, The Ladders: Gorton and Abbey Hey, Hyde Road: Gorton and Abbey Hey, Trinity: Harpurhey and Ben Street area: Clayton and Openshaw.  

A new devolution deal was agreed by the government earlier this year to give the 10 Greater Manchester councils powers to approve larger selective licensing schemes.