Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO's)

In this section

  1. What is a HMO?
  2. Mandatory Licensing
  3. HMO Standards
  4. Fire Safety for HMO's
  5. Fees and charges
  6. Applying for a HMO Licence
  7. Planning Rules for HMO's
  8. HMO Enforcement
  9. HMO Register
  10. Report an Unlicensed HMO
  11. Reporting a disrepair in HMO
  12. Varying a HMO license
  13. Buying and selling a HMO
  14. Revoking a HMO licence
  15. FAQ's - houses in multiple occupation

Mandatory Licensing

A HMO mandatory licence is required for properties with five or more occupants forming two or more households. It is a legal requirement to hold a licence for a property that falls under the mandatory licensing definition of:

  • All HMOs with five or more occupiers living in two or more households who share basic amenities e.g. kitchen or bathroom
  • Self-contained flats where there are up to two flats in the block and one or both of the flats are occupied by five or more persons in two separate households. This also applies to blocks above or below commercial premises.

It is the individual HMO that is required to be licensed and not the building within which the HMO is situated. This means that where a building has two flats and each is occupied by five persons living in two or more households each flat will require a HMO licence.