Skip to content

Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Definition of an HMO is any property which is occupied by at least 3 persons who are not members of the same household

To license your HMO

To be a licensable HMO the property must be occupied by at least 5 persons who comprise of two or more households and share at least one basic amenity such as a bathroom or kitchen.

For more details please refer to sections 254 to 259 of the Housing Act 2004

Typical examples of HMOs

  1. A house let as individual bedsits
  2. A group of rooms on each floor let to single occupants such as students or working single persons
  3. Hostels, some hotels and guest houses maybe considered as HMOs if they are accommodating homeless referrals
  4. Lodgings and shared houses
  5. Houses converted into self-contained flats

Fees

The HMO licence is usually issued for a period of up to 5 years and the fee is £133.35 per person.

Payment can be made here.

  1. Click on the link to the online payment page.
  2. Select ‘Licensing’ from the first drop down field.
  3. Select ‘HMOs’ from the second drop down field.
  4. Enter the first line of the HMO address in the ‘Reference’ field.
  5. Enter the amount you want to pay.
  6. Enter your email address, so that the system can send you a receipt for your payment.

Amenity standards

Here are the standards you are required to comply with as an HMO landlord:

HMO Amenity Standards