The compliance every Manchester landlord is expected to hold.

Every gas appliance, flue and pipework installation in a let property must be checked annually. The record must be given to existing tenants within 28 days of the check and to new tenants at the start of the tenancy, and kept for at least two years.

The fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at least every five years and at the start of a new tenancy where the report has expired. A copy goes to tenants within 28 days and to the local authority on request. Any C1, C2 or FI coded issue must be remedied within 28 days or sooner if the report specifies.

Landlords have a duty to assess and control the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria in the water system. For most modern apartments this is a straightforward written assessment with simple control measures such as flushing after voids and checking stored water temperatures.

At least one smoke alarm is required on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker. Alarms must be repaired or replaced once a fault is reported.

There is no fixed legal interval, but any electrical appliance you supply with the property must be safe. Testing and recording appliances between tenancies is the accepted way to evidence that duty, and is a licence condition for many HMOs.

Where a building contains two or more domestic premises, the common parts require a fire risk assessment. Buildings above 11 metres carry additional quarterly fire door checks and annual flat entrance door checks. HMOs have their own fire detection, escape route and door specifications.

Mandatory licensing applies to houses in multiple occupation with five or more occupants forming two or more households. Manchester also operates additional and selective licensing in defined areas, so the requirement depends on the exact address. Always confirm the position with the council before letting.

Deposits for assured shorthold tenancies must be protected in an approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information served on the tenant. Deposits are also capped at five weeks rent for most tenancies under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.

In England you must check that every adult occupier has the right to rent and keep dated evidence. The current How to Rent guide must also be served on the tenant, otherwise a section 21 notice can be invalid.

Rented homes must be free from serious hazards, including damp, mould, excess cold and disrepair, for the whole tenancy. Tenants can bring a claim directly in the county court for an order to carry out works and for compensation.

You must make sure any waste removed from your property is handled by a registered carrier and keep the waste transfer note. Fly-tipped waste is traced back to the original producer, so the paperwork matters as much as the collection.