Support for tenants and landlords

GMCA is helping to support tenants and landlords across Greater Manchester through the work that we are doing to improve enforcement, develop a Good Landlord Charter and tackle homelessness and the housing crisis.

We do not run any public facing housing services ourselves. So this page has links to places where you find advice or support as a tenant or landlord if you need it.

Tenants

There are a range of organisations that can help with advice or support if you have a problem in your rented home, are struggling to pay the rent or are threatened with homelessness.

Advice services – Shelter and Citizens Advice have extensive, high quality online advice for private tenants. They offer advice on subjects ranging from tenants’ legal rights, to how to apply for benefits or make a homelessness application. If you need to talk to someone you may also be able to access their telephone or face-to-face services.

Councils – Greater Manchester’s ten local councils each have responsibility for a range of relevant services in their areas, including housing enforcement and homelessness services. Many also offer online advice for renters.

If you need housing help from your local council, you can find out how to access support using the links below. If you do not know which GM council area you live in, you can find out online.

Landlords

If you want help with being a landlord there is a range of online advice and organisations that you can join to get practical tips, good practice guidance information about your legal responsibilities or debt advice.

Government advice – the government’s How to Let guide covers the basics of being a private landlord in England, including landlord legal responsibilities and what to do if things go wrong. The government has also developed an online hub for landlords with links to relevant pages on gov.uk.

Trade bodies – the National Residential Landlord Association is the country’s largest organisation for private landlords and offers a range of training and advice for its members.

Debt advice – a debt advisor may be able to help landlords who are finding it difficult to pay their mortgage or falling into mortgage arrears, by giving advice or speaking to a lender on their behalf. MoneyHelper’s website has information about available debt advice services.