HMO licensing

The licence will specify the number of people allowed in the property.

The following conditions must be met:

• a valid gas safety certificate must be provided and renewed annually
• the landlord or manager must prove that all electrical appliances and furniture are kept in a safe condition
• all smoke alarms must be correctly positioned and installed
• each occupier must have a written statement of the terms of their occupancy, for example a tenancy agreement.

In addition:

• occupants may be restricted or prohibited from using parts of the building
• the landlord or manager must take steps to deal with any anti-social behaviour by occupants or visitors
• the condition of the property, furniture, and all facilities such as bathrooms and toilets must be kept in good working order
• any works or repairs must be carried out within a reasonable time
• the person responsible for looking after the building may be required to attend an approved training course.

If you run a HMO that requires a licence and you don't apply for one, you could face a fine of up to £20,000.

It is also an offence to:

• allow more people to live at the property than is permitted by your licence
• break any of the licence conditions.

If you do so, you could be fined up to £5000.

Licensing standards

The HMO licence was introduced to make sure that houses in multiple occupation meet a certain standard.

Download the documents on the right for full details of the conditions your property must meet.

You can also read the Environmental Health and Trading Standards teams' enforcement and prosecution policy.