Landlord EPC help North West: area guides for landlords
Landlord EPC help North West starts with one question: which rules, grants and licences apply where your rentals are? Answers differ by council, so we publish local guides only where we can verify the facts. Greater Manchester is open now. This page shows the region, our method and what comes next.
Last checked: 22 October 2026. EPC C by 2030 is confirmed government policy for England and Wales, not yet law. Legislation is targeted for 2027.
North West private rented homes: where renting is concentrated
At the 2021 Census, 19.2% of North West households rented privately, against 20.5% across England (ONS, Census area changes). Some places sit far above that line.
| Area | Private rented share, 2011 | Private rented share, 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 28.4% | 32.3% |
| Blackpool | 26.1% | 31.8% |
| Salford | 18.8% | 26.8% |
| Liverpool | 23.4% | 26.1% |
| Burnley | 19.4% | 24.3% |
| North West | 15.4% | 19.2% |
Source: ONS Census area changes pages, checked 21 October 2026. These are the places where private renting is most common. We have not yet measured how many of those homes sit below band C locally.
Landlord grants North West: why the answer changes by council
There is no single national grant for landlords reaching EPC C. Funding comes from schemes run by councils and combined authorities, and each sets its own conditions.
Greater Manchester offers the most generous landlord route we have verified. It pays up to £30,000 on a first rented property. Other areas differ. Cumberland Council says one let home can be fully funded and others need a 50% landlord contribution, and its tenant must apply. Liverpool City Council says its 2026/27 allocation is oversubscribed.
Our grants for landlords guide compares the national picture.
North West selective licensing: schemes are local
Licensing is also decided council by council. Liverpool's current scheme ends in March 2027, and a consultation on its replacement ran from 27 July to 5 October 2026. The council says recommendations may go to Cabinet later in 2026.
In Greater Manchester, the position varies even between neighbouring boroughs. The Greater Manchester hub shows how.
How we decide which areas to publish
Copying a template and swapping the town name does not help a landlord. So each area guide must carry local data that changes when the place changes.
We publish a guide only when it carries at least six of nine data modules:
- Census 2021 private renting and change since 2011.
- Local energy performance data for the authority.
- Licensing status, wards, fees and dates.
- The local funding scheme and its eligibility.
- What the £10,000 cap means for local homes.
- Typical measures for the local housing types.
- A real local case study.
- Questions from real local enquiries.
- Rent and house-price context from ONS.
If a place cannot meet that bar, we fold it into its regional hub instead of giving it a page.
Landlord EPC C North West: what is open now
Greater Manchester is our pilot region. All ten borough guides are live. The first five are:
- Manchester, the largest rental market.
- Salford, where private renting grew fastest.
- Oldham, dominated by terraced stock.
- Bolton, with a new HMO licence on the way.
- Wigan, with no selective licensing.
- Also live: Rochdale, Tameside, Stockport, Bury and Trafford.
- Beyond Greater Manchester: 14 council guides across Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire, listed on the North West hub.
Start with the Greater Manchester hub if you are unsure which applies.
More areas coming
Cumbria and further areas will follow, borough by borough. Each will wait for verified local data. Until then, our national guides still apply to rentals anywhere in England and Wales.
Delivered by LAMTANS Engineering
Compliant Lets is a trading name of LAMTANS Holdings Ltd. Retrofit work is delivered by LAMTANS Engineering Ltd. We cover every North West area listed here.
Sources
- ONS: Census area changes, Blackpool, checked 21 October 2026
- ONS: Census area changes, Liverpool, checked 21 October 2026
- ONS: Census area changes, Burnley, checked 21 October 2026
- ONS: Census area changes, Salford, checked 21 October 2026
- ONS: Census area changes, Manchester, checked 21 October 2026
- Cumberland Council: Warm Homes Local Grant, checked 21 October 2026
- Liverpool City Council: Warm Homes Local Grant, checked 21 October 2026
- Liverpool City Council: selective licensing consultation, checked 21 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, government response, checked 21 October 2026
Designed & developed by LAMTANS Technologies LLC, USA — part of the LAMTANS Group
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover the whole North West?
Not yet. Greater Manchester has ten borough guides, and 14 councils across Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire are live. Cumbria and other areas will follow once each has verified local data.
Does the EPC C rule apply outside Greater Manchester?
Yes. The planned rule covers privately rented homes in England and Wales. Only the Warm Homes Local Grant detail we publish is specific to Greater Manchester.
Why not publish a page for every town?
Pages that only swap a town name give landlords nothing new. We publish where local data differs, such as licensing, grants and housing stock.
Which North West areas have the most private renting?
At the 2021 Census, Manchester (32.3%) and Blackpool (31.8%) had the highest shares in our table. The North West average was 19.2%.
Can I get the Greater Manchester grant for a Liverpool property?
No. That grant is delivered by GMCA for Greater Manchester. Liverpool City Council runs its own scheme, with different rules.
Where can I find rules for my council?
Start with the area guide if one exists. Otherwise check your council's licensing and housing pages, and ask us about national guidance.