HMO questions, answered.

An HMO (house in multiple occupation) is a property rented to three or more people who form two or more separate households and share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. A property let to five or more people from two or more households is a large HMO and usually needs a mandatory licence.

It depends on the size of the HMO and the borough. Any HMO of five or more people from two or more households needs a mandatory licence everywhere in England. In addition, many London boroughs run their own additional licensing schemes (covering smaller HMOs of three or four people) and selective licensing schemes (covering most private rentals, including single-family lets, in designated areas). You should check the specific scheme in your borough.

Mandatory licensing applies across England to HMOs of five or more people from two or more households. Additional licensing is a borough-specific scheme extending licensing to smaller HMOs, usually three or four people. Selective licensing is a borough-specific scheme covering most privately rented homes, including single-family lets, in designated areas or streets, regardless of whether the property is an HMO.

A property let to one household, such as a single family, is not an HMO, so it does not need an HMO licence. However, some boroughs operate selective licensing, which can require a licence for most private rentals, including single-family lets, in designated areas. It is worth checking whether your borough and street fall within a selective scheme.

In a shared house, a group of people, often friends, students or colleagues, rent the whole property together, usually on a single joint tenancy, and share the living space as one household. In a bedsit-type HMO, individual rooms are let separately, often on their own tenancies, to people who live largely independently of one another. The distinction matters because it can affect the standards that apply, particularly fire safety, which is generally set at a higher level for bedsit-type properties.

It is not legally required, but it is strongly advisable. An independent inspection tells you exactly what the property needs to meet the required standards before you apply, which helps you avoid a refused or delayed application and any enforcement action if the property is currently non-compliant.

A full inspection assesses fire safety (detection, alarms, fire doors and escape routes), room and bedroom sizes against the minimum standards, kitchen and bathroom amenities relative to the number of occupants, licensing standards, and the general condition of the property, with hazards checked by reference to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (this isn't a formal HHSRS assessment). You receive a clear, prioritised report of exactly what needs doing.

The national minimum sleeping room sizes set by mandatory HMO licence conditions are 6.51 square metres for one person over ten, 10.22 square metres for two people over ten, and 4.64 square metres for a child under ten. A room smaller than 4.64 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation. These are national minimums, and some councils apply higher space standards, so local requirements should also be checked.

Fire safety requirements depend on the size, layout and type of the HMO. They generally include appropriate fire detection and alarms, fire doors, and clear, safe escape routes, along with a fire risk assessment of the shared areas. The specific alarm system and standard required is determined by the property's characteristics rather than being the same for every property, which is one of the main things an inspection establishes.

It can do. Changing use to a small HMO for up to six people is often permitted development, but many boroughs have Article 4 Directions in place that remove this, meaning planning permission is required to operate an HMO in those areas. A large HMO for seven or more people always needs planning permission. Licensing and planning are separate processes: a property can be licensable and still require planning consent, so both should be checked.

Operating a licensable HMO without a licence is a criminal offence. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, councils can impose civil penalties of up to £40,000 for serious breaches such as failing to licence an HMO, as an alternative to prosecution, and criminal prosecution carries an unlimited fine. Tenants can also apply for a Rent Repayment Order to reclaim up to two years' rent.

You will usually need a valid gas safety certificate (if the property has gas), an EICR electrical safety report, an EPC energy performance certificate, and a floor plan, together with details of the property and the proposed licence holder or manager. Exact requirements vary slightly between councils.

If the property has any gas appliances, such as a boiler, hob or fire, a gas safety check must be carried out every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer and a certificate issued. This is a legal requirement for rented homes and is needed for an HMO licence. A property with no gas does not need one.

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a safety inspection of a property's fixed electrical wiring carried out by a qualified electrician. It is valid for up to five years, is a legal requirement for rented homes, and is needed as part of an HMO licence application.

An HMO licence is usually granted for up to five years, although some councils issue shorter licences in certain circumstances. It must be renewed before it expires to keep the property licensed.

Preparing and submitting the application is quick. Once submitted, processing is down to the council and can take from a few weeks to a few months depending on the borough. The council's processing time is separate from the time taken to prepare the application.

Yes, landlords can apply directly to the council. Many choose to use a professional to prepare and submit the application, to make sure the property meets the required standards first and the paperwork is correct, which reduces the risk of a refused or delayed application.

Independent HMO inspections start from £199 for a standard smaller property, with larger or more complex properties quoted individually. The inspection includes a full on-site assessment and a prioritised report setting out exactly what is needed to make the property licence-ready.

There are two separate costs. First, the council's own licence fee, which is paid directly to the council and varies by borough, typically from several hundred pounds to over a thousand. Second, if you use a professional to prepare and submit the application, their service fee, which for us starts from £295. The council fee is always separate from the service fee.

Yes. Preparing and submitting the HMO licence application is offered as a separate service from £295, handled from start to finish, including liaising with the council. The council's own licence fee is paid separately and directly by you.

We provide HMO inspections and licensing support across London, led by Environmental Health Officers.

Independent means the assessment is impartial and objective. The aim is simply to establish whether the property meets the required standards, applying the same criteria a council would, so that anything falling short can be put right before the property is assessed and the landlord avoids fines or a refused application. It is not about taking sides; it is a neutral, professional check that the property is up to standard.