DIY InventoryLetting a property in Liverpool: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Liverpool.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Liverpool
- Selective licensing: Selective licensing covers privately rented homes in 16 wards (around 80% of the city's private rented homes) from April 2022 to March 2027. The council consulted until October 2026 on a scheme to follow it, with options ranging from 26 wards to the whole city.
- Additional HMO licensing: No additional HMO licensing scheme: larger HMOs (five or more people from two or more households) need the national mandatory licence.
- Fees: Proposed fee for the next scheme £995 per property (£240 on application and £755 on grant)
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Liverpool City Council.
Liverpool City Council: private renting and licensing
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 Liverpool 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 Liverpool homes
- Student houses around Smithdown Road and Wavertree: photograph every bedroom lock, fire doors, smoke alarms and the shared kitchen.
- Georgian flats in the Canning area: record sash windows, high ceilings for cracks and damp, and communal stair condition.
- City-centre apartments: note fob, key, parking and post-box counts, and photograph balconies and the intercom.
- Victorian terraces in Anfield, Walton and Kensington: photograph the back yard, alley gate, gutters and any damp on rear walls.
- Licensed homes: photograph the selective or HMO licence and check its address and expiry date.
Homes sold in Liverpool in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 2,012 | £167,706 |
| Semi-detached | 982 | £261,970 |
| Flat or maisonette | 783 | £145,567 |
| Detached | 276 | £425,343 |
| Other | 154 | £762,110 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Liverpool: questions
Is there selective licensing in Liverpool?
Selective licensing covers privately rented homes in 16 wards (around 80% of the city's private rented homes) from April 2022 to March 2027. The council consulted until October 2026 on a scheme to follow it, with options ranging from 26 wards to the whole city. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Liverpool?
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 Liverpool?
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.