Our standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation

• Section 1: What is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
• Section 2: Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• Section 3: General management
• Section 4: Standards applicable to all HMOs
• Section 5: Waste management
• Section 6: Fire safety
• Section 7: Amenities
• Section 8: Space standards
• Section 9: Space heating
• Appendix: Space standards

This document outlines our standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). You should use it to ensure their properties meet or exceed these requirements. 

Tell us if you think your property needs different rules and you think another way is better.

If the plan follows the law and keeps tenants safe, we will try to be flexible. 

Section 1: What is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)? 

As an HMO landlord, it’s essential to understand what qualifies as a House in Multiple Occupation. The Housing Act 2004 (HA2004) provides a detailed definition, but here’s a simplified version to get you started: 

In general, an HMO is a property that: 

• Is occupied by three or more people from two or more households. 
• Contains shared facilities, such as a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet. 
• Exceptions: Self-contained flats that don't follow the 1991 Building Regulations (converted before these rules or without approval) are also HMOs, even if they don't share basic amenities 

Typical Examples of HMOs: 

• Single Room Bedsits: May have exclusive or shared use of washing, WC, and kitchen facilities. 
• Flatlets: Multi-room lettings sharing some washing, WC, and kitchen facilities. 
• Non-Self-Contained Conversions. 
• Buildings Converted into Self-Contained Flats: Where the conversion didn’t comply with Part B of the 1991 Building Regulations (fire protection and escape routes). 

Quickly check if your property is an HMO. 

Find a more detailed description of what an HMO is. 

Temporary accommodation 

These properties are for temporary accommodation under Sections 188 and 193 of the Housing Act 1996, with a maximum stay of 6 weeks. They can be used for permanent or temporary residence. Occupants won't have another permanent home, and no more than 5 people can stay in one room 

Exemptions  

The following are exempt from the HMO definition:  

• Building occupied by only two people who do not form a single household. 
• Buildings managed by specified educational establishments, Local Housing Authorities, Registered. 
• Social landlords, police, fire, health authority, or regulated by other laws like some care homes. 
• Buildings occupied by religious communities.  
• Buildings mostly lived in by owners, including landlords living with their family and up to 2 other people. 
• Buildings converted into self-contained flats, where the conversion meets 1991 Building Regulations. 

What is a single household? 

A single household is made up of family members. This can be through blood, marriage (including same-sex), adoption, or fostering.  

For example, if four friends live together in a student house, they are seen as four separate households. This makes the house an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation). 

For more details, refer to The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No.373). 

Mandatory HMO licensing 

A property will need a mandatory HMO licence if it: 

• contains 5 or more people in two or more households; and 
• contains shared (or lacks) facility such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. 

There are rules for licensed HMO’s set out in SI 2006 No373 amended by The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation updated in 2007) which must be complied with.  

There are also minimum room sizes set out in The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018 No.616) which must be followed.  

A Housing Health and Safety Rating (HHSRS) check (as described in Section 2) will be done within 5 years of giving an HMO Licence. 

Understanding the definition of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) under the Housing Act 2004 can be complex.  

If you're not sure if your property qualifies, getting professional advice is smart. Knowing your property's status helps you follow the rules and make the most of it. 

Find out more about HMOs.

A property will need a mandatory HMO licence if it: 

• contains 5 or more people in two or more households; and 
• contains shared (or lacks) facility such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. 

Planning permission and building regulation approval 

These standards are used along with other laws for HMOs and housing. If you change, alter, or extend a building to meet these standards, you still need Planning Permission and/or Building Regulation approval. 

Make an enquiry about HMOs. 

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Section 2: Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) 

Inspections check property conditions using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). They look for serious hazards. Inspectors consider 29 possible hazards and can use laws to protect occupants' health and safety.  

 They might ask landlords to make improvements. Local authorities can stop people from using all or part of a property or limit the number of occupants. In emergencies, they can take quick action. 

If a property owner disagrees with an assessment, they can talk to the inspector. They can also challenge the decision through the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). 

See the Guidance from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government on the HHSRS. 

There are 29 hazards that can be assessed.

Physiological  requirements 

• Damp and mould growth 
• Excess cold
• Excess heat 
• Asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres (MMF) 
• Biocides
• Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products 
• Lead 
• Radiation 
• Uncombusted fuel gas 
• Volatile organic compounds 

Psychological  requirements

• Crowding and  space 
• Entry by intruders 
• Lighting 
• Noise 

Protection  against infection

• Domestic hygiene,  pests and refuse 
• Food safety
• Water supply
• Personal hygiene,  sanitation and  drainage 

Protection  against accidents

• Falls (in baths, on level surfaces, on stairs, between levels)
• Electrical hazards
• Position and  operability of  amenities
• Fire, flames, hot surfaces
• Collision and  entrapment 
• Explosions 
• Structural collapse and falling elements

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Section 3: General management 

The person in control of the house must ensure the following: 

• The manager is capable of inspecting the accommodation and arranging any necessary works. 
• All services, furnishings, fixtures, and fittings are maintained in good, sound, and clean condition. 
• The structure is kept in good order. 
• All communal interior areas are regularly cleaned and redecorated as needed. 
• All yards, boundary walls, fences, gardens, and outbuildings are maintained in a safe and tidy condition. 
• Satisfactory arrangements for the disposal of refuse and litter are made. 
• At the start of all tenancies, the lettings are clean, in a satisfactory state of repair and decoration, and comply with these standards. 
• All staircases and multiple steps have suitable handrails. 
• All tenants fulfil their tenancy obligations. 

These rules are in the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. They are also in the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations (England) 2007. These regulations place specific duties on the manager of an HMO. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. 

The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 apply to any HMO in England. This does not include converted blocks of flats covered by section 257 of the Act.

The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations (England) 2007 apply to any HMO in England described in section 257 of the Housing Act 2004.

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Section 4: Standards applicable to all HMOs  

To follow HMO management regulations and reduce the likelihood of Category 1 or 2 hazards (see HHSRS above).   

To ensure the supplementary regulations below are met, these standards should be followed.

Gas supply

If you provide gas appliances, they must be checked every year by a Gas Safe engineer. Keep copies of the certificate and give one to each tenant.  

Electrical installation

All electrical installations must be regularly checked and tested to BS7671 standards by a qualified person (like an engineer from NICEIC or ECA). The Electrical Installation Condition Report will show when the next check is needed and when the certificate runs out.

Artificial lighting

• Adequate artificial lighting must be provided in all areas to ensure: 
  • The safe use of the accommodation, including external and common areas.  
  • The maintenance of cleanliness and the performance of normal domestic activities.
• Time switches for lights in common areas must stay on long enough for someone to safely reach their room. These switches should work on every level.
• Light switches should be placed so residents and visitors can move safely through the building.

Electrical appliances

If you provide portable electrical appliances over one year old (like fridges, freezers, microwaves, kettles). These should be checked every year by a qualified person (like an engineer from NICEIC or ECA). This check is called PAT testing.

Furniture  

If you provide furniture like beds, sofas, or curtains, it must follow the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. 

Natural lighting

Every habitable room should have a clear window or door that opens to the outside, if possible. The glass should be at least 1/10th of the floor area.

Bathroom and WC windows should have frosted glass if the Council says it's needed. 

Ventilation

• If possible, all habitable rooms should have a window that opens to the outside. The openable area should be at least 1/20th of the floor area.
• All kitchens, bathrooms, and WCs should have windows that open to the outside. If this isn't possible, mechanical ventilation that meets current Building Regulations must be installed.

Electricity,  gas and  water  supplies  

• Each letting must have enough electricity, gas (if provided), and water for normal use. If landlord sub-meters are used, the charge for power must not be more than the retail price. 
• Shared services like lighting, heating, ventilation, kitchen facilities, hot water, electrical sockets, or alarm systems must always be available and enough to meet users' needs.

Water supply

• Each property should have cold, drinkable water supplied at good pressure. 
• Any water storage tank must be covered to keep the water clean. 
• Every occupant should have access to this water supply. 

Refuse storage

See waste guidance section below .

Minimum  standards  of security  

The following standards are recognized by Secured by Design under the 'Police Preferred Specification' scheme. More standards will be added as needed. 

Door and lock standards: BS 3621, 2007 

• Locks on external or entrance doors must meet the standards of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the police. 
• The lock's effectiveness also depends on the quality of the door, frame, and other hardware, which aren't tested by this standard and might fail before the lock does. 
• Locks must be of a type that do not require a key to open them from the inside. 
• Any glazing in or adjacent to the door must be robust, such as laminated glass. 

Window standards: BS 7950, 1997. This specification covers enhanced security performance for casements and tilt/turn windows for domestic applications. 

• BS 7950 must be supported by performance standards relevant to the materials used: 
• BS 4873, 2005: Specification for aluminium windows. 
• BS 7412, 2007: Specification for plastic windows made from PVC-U extruded hollow profiles. 
• BS 644-1, 2003: Specification for factory-assembled wood windows of various types. 
• BWF:TWAS: Timber window accreditation scheme. 
• BS 6510, 2005: Specification for steel windows, sills, window boards, and doors. 
• LPS 1270: This standard covers the burglary resistance of security glazing and glazing films. Based on LPS 1175, it enables specifiers to select glazing films that offer resistance to manual attack equivalent to the building products in which the glass or film is used. 

Section 5: Waste management 

The licence holder must follow our rules for storing and throwing away household waste. 

They should make sure that people living there arrange for waste collection. 

If the property is empty or the people don't do this, the licence holder must follow the rules themselves. 

At the start of a tenancy, the licence holder must give written information to the people living there about:

• The day refuse collections will take place.  
• The type of bins to use for household and recycling waste.  
• Details of our bulky waste collection service.  
• Details of our missed bin collection service.  
• The occupiers’ responsibility to place bins at the property boundary, easily accessible from the highway, by 6am on collection day.  
• That occupiers should arrange for any extra rubbish that cannot fit in the bins to be collected within 48 hours and/or disposed of as soon as possible. Such rubbish should be stored within the property boundary until collection/disposal. This should be kept locked at all times to prevent access by seagulls, vermin, and the public to potentially unsafe waste. 

 The licence holder must provide proper bins for storing and collecting rubbish at the house. These bins should be closable, in good condition, and the right size as specified by us. 

The licence holder must not put business rubbish in household bins.  It should be thrown away quickly and stored on the property if possible. The licence holder must arrange for a licensed carrier to collect and dispose of business rubbish. 

Residents need to separate their food waste and recycling from their residual waste. For further details please see our recycling guide. 

We will give one set of waste and recycling bins per council tax account, following the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Additionally, we will provide regular and thorough waste collection for these bins. 

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Section 6: Fire safety 

When deciding to issue an HMO licence, the local housing authority will consider SI 2006 No. 373. This regulation states that the right type, number, and location of fire safety equipment must be provided. 

The following duties and provisions will be taken into account when determining whether Paragraph 5 has been met. 

• Owners/managers must do a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They must write it down if the company has five or more employees. They must also do this if a licence or certification is needed for the premises. Important findings from the assessment must be recorded. 
• The fire precautions needed depend on the type of accommodation and its risk level. For example, temporary housing for homeless people is usually higher risk. In contrast, a house share where people live like a family is usually lower risk. 
• All accommodation units and communal areas must have automatic fire alarms. They also need emergency escape lighting and portable firefighting equipment. Other fire safety gear identified by a fire risk assessment is required too. 
• All properties must meet standards for stopping smoke and fire spread. An HMO needs a protected escape route with 30 minutes of protection, leading to a safe place. This escape route should be free of stored items. It must not have fire risks like electrical items or flammable materials (like paints and solvents). 
• All kitchens must have a properly placed fire blanket, enough fire doors, and an automatic fire alarm. 
• Inspecting officers will ask to see yearly service and maintenance certificates for fire safety installations.  These must follow British Standards. 

• • Automatic fire detection and warning systems: BS 5839: Part 1 or Part 6 (as appropriate) 
  • Emergency escape lighting: BS 5266-8: 2004 (BS EN 50172: 2004) 
  • Fire extinguishers (where provided): BS 5306-3 and the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• The expected standards are those recommended in the "Housing - Fire Safety" guide by LACORS (July 2008). You should review this document to ensure you provide enough protection for occupants. 
• The required level of fire precautions will vary based on the type of accommodation and its associated risks.  

The Fire Safety Order 2005 also applies to shared areas in HMOs. The Fire & Rescue Authority enforces this. We may ask for extra precautions after consulting with them. 

The Fire and Rescue Authority checks safety in hotels and B&Bs. They follow rules from the Home Office. If these places house homeless people or are used as homes when tourists are not there, they might be called Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Then, the property might need a licence, and we would be in charge. 

Fire detection and testing 

The "Housing - Fire Safety" guide from LACORS, published in July 2008, explains different fire alarms and how to use them properly. 

In Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), the most common fire alarms are Grades A and D. Grade A alarms must be tested by a trained expert with the right tools. A good alarm company can do these tests and give a yearly certificate.  

Grade D and battery alarms can be tested by the owner or manager, but they must follow the maker's instructions. 

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Section 7: Amenities 

This part gives advice on what should be in an HMO, as per section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. These rules show what the authority expects for all HMOs. They are not strict laws, but they help decide if a licence will be given and for how many people. 

Shared personal washing & WC facilities 

WC

• Up to 5 occupiers: 1 (if there is only 1 WC it must be separate from the bathroom )
• 6 to 7 occupiers: 2 (WCs can be   contained within  the bathrooms )
• 8 to 10 occupiers: 2 (at least 1 WC  must be  separate from  the bathroom)
• 11 to 15 occupiers: 3 (at least 2 WCs  must be  separate from  the bathroom)

Bath or shower

• Up to 5 occupiers: 1
• 6 to 7 occupiers: 2
• 8 to 10 occupiers: 2
• 11 to 15 occupiers: 3

Wash hand basin

• A wash hand basin must be provided within every separate WC.  Each wash hand basin must have adequate supply of cold and constant hot water. 
• In licensable HMOs, one wash hand basin should be in each unit if possible. The landlord must show if it is not possible. They should consider the age and type of the HMO, the size and layout of each room, and the current WHBs, toilets, and bathrooms. 

Kitchen facilities (shared)

Cooker

• Up to 5 occupiers: 1 cooker
• 6 to 7 occupiers: 1 cooker and 1 microwave oven with grill
• 8 to 10 occupiers: 2 cookers

Sink and drainer

• 1 per 5 occupiers/unit

Electrical power points

• 4 single sockets or 2 double sockets per 5  occupiers/unit. The above excludes sockets for a  cooker, refrigerator and washing machine. 

Worktops

• 2m x 0.6m per 5 occupiers

Cupboards

Double wall unit or single base unit (0.16m3) for each  occupier/unit. Storage in communal areas should be  lockable. 

Refrigerated storage

• Standard sized fridge (73-120 litre) with adequate  freezer compartment per occupier/unit fridges can be sited in the bedroom if the room is large enough .
• If no freezer compartment in the fridge, separate  freezers should be provided. Storage in communal  areas should be lockable. 

Kitchen facilities (not shared)

1 person bedsit with exclusive use of kitchen facilities

• 2 ring hob, oven or grill or 2 ring hob and combined microwave oven with grill  

2 person bedsit with exclusive use of kitchen facilities

• 3 or 4 ring hob and oven or grill 

Sink and drainer

• 1 per unit

Electrical power points

• Each unit should have 4 single sockets or 2 double sockets. This does not include sockets for a cooker, refrigerator, or washing machine.   

Worktops

• 1m x 0.6m per 2 occupiers 

Cupboards

• Double base unit or 1.5 single wall units per 2  occupiers 

Refrigerated storage

• Fridge with adequate freezer compartment 

If a kitchen is more than one floor away from its users, there must be a shared living or dining space on the same floor or one floor away. The kitchen needs an extractor fan and cooking facilities. It must also have a 30-minute self-closing fire door with smoke seals and intumescent strips. A fire blanket must be provided, but not next to or above the cooker. 

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Section 8:  Space standards

These standards show what the authority expects for all HMOs. In licensable HMOs, they decide how many people can live there. 

Rooms must have enough usable space, considering shape and height. Only areas with a ceiling height of 1.5 meters or more count. The following information gives the minimum room sizes needed. For national minimum room sizes, see the Appendix for temporary accommodation. 

The table below assumes the accommodation is occupied by a single household unless otherwise specified. 

If three or more people from two or more households share a flat, it may be classified as an HMO. In this case, you should contact us to discuss the suitability of this arrangement and the necessary facilities. 

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Section 9:  Space heating 

When deciding to issue an HMO licence, the local housing authority will consider SI 2006 No373. Schedule 3 (1) says each living unit in an HMO must have enough heating. 

We will check our Excess Cold policy and other guides like the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) to see if this rule is met. 

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Appendix: Space standards 

• Rooms must have a minimum floor to ceiling height of at least 2.1m over not less than 75% of the room area. Any floor area where the ceiling height is less than 1.5m should be disregarded.  
• The space standards in this guide for temporary accommodation are low because it is temporary. We will not count floor space that does not add to usable space. 
• The floor area taken up by a solid chimney breast should be discounted.  
• Built in storage space (cupboards, wardrobes etc.) should be counted as this would occupy the room’s main floor space if it were not present.  
• En-suite’s should not be included in the minimum size required  
• Single rooms should have a minimum width of 1.8m. Rooms for two or more persons should have a minimum width of 2.3 m.  

No more than 5 persons should be required to occupy any room.

No more than 5 persons should be required to occupy any room.

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