DIY InventoryLetting a property in Cheshire East: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Cheshire East.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Cheshire East
- Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme. The council looked at a targeted scheme around Nantwich Road in Crewe, but in March 2024 decided to wait for the Renters' Rights reforms and the national landlord database instead of going ahead.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing: only mandatory licensing of HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. Article 4 directions in three Crewe wards mean new small HMOs there need planning permission.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Cheshire East Council.
Safety certificates
- Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
- EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Cheshire East at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.
Deposits and the inventory
Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.
What to record in Cheshire East homes
- Victorian terraces in Crewe: photograph the back yard, outbuildings and the condition of any rear extension roof.
- HMO lets near Crewe town centre: record each room's lock, fire door closers, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen appliances separately.
- Older stone and brick terraces in Macclesfield: check for damp on chimney breasts and party walls and photograph any mould around windows.
- Rural cottages and barn conversions: note oil tank or LPG gauge readings, septic tank access and the state of wood burners.
- New-build estates around Sandbach and Middlewich: photograph snagging items still open, and note any estate management or parking permits.
- Higher-value homes around Wilmslow and Knutsford: record gardens, gates, alarm codes and fitted appliances in detail.
Homes sold in Cheshire East in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | 1,551 | £512,915 |
| Semi-detached | 1,386 | £298,609 |
| Terraced | 1,207 | £234,883 |
| Flat or maisonette | 415 | £192,201 |
| Other | 145 | £549,281 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Cheshire East: questions
Is there selective licensing in Cheshire East?
No selective licensing scheme. The council looked at a targeted scheme around Nantwich Road in Crewe, but in March 2024 decided to wait for the Renters' Rights reforms and the national landlord database instead of going ahead. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Cheshire East?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Cheshire East?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.
Ready when you have the keys
Do your Cheshire East check-in yourself, on your phone, for £30.
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