The Housing Act 2004 introduced the licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) from 6 April 2006.
Local Authorities are required to license larger, higher risk HMOs, which initially will comprise those of three stories and above occupied by at least five persons who constitute more than one household.
This introductory guide for landlords is also available as a PDF format leaflet to download below.
Standard Conditions
A licence will normally last for a maximum of five years, although it can be for a shorter period. The licence will specify the maximum number of people who may live in the HMO.
It will also include conditions concerning the following, which apply to every licence:
a valid current gas safety certificate, which is renewed annually, must be provided
all electrical appliances and furniture are kept in a safe condition
all smoke alarms are correctly positioned and installed
each occupier must have a written statement of the terms on which they occupy the property, for example, a tenancy agreement
Additional Conditions
Councils may also apply the following conditions:
restrictions or prohibitions on the use of parts of the HMO by occupants
a requirement that the condition of the property, its contents, such as furniture and all facilities and amenities, bathroom and toilets for example, are in good working order
a requirement for specified works or repairs to be carried out within a particular timeframe
a requirement that the responsible person attends an approved training course
For more advice about HMO licensing, go to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) housing website.
