HMO licence guidance
Changes to HMO licence conditions from 1st October 2018
From 1st October 2018, the licensing conditions for houses in multiple occupancy are changing. This means that:
- the storey-height criteria will no longer apply
- any property with five or more people who form unrelated households, and share amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom, must have an HMO licence. Find out more about the legislation on GOV.UK.
New regulations have also been added which state that minimum bedroom floor sizes must be as follows:
- for a child under 10 years of age - 4.64m²
- for any single person over 10 years of age - 6.51m²
- for two people - 10.22m²
Landlords must also provide facilities where tenants can store waste while waiting for scheduled council refuse collections. Find out more about the regulations on GOV.UK.
Guidance documents
If you rent rooms in a multiple occupancy home the property must meet the required health, safety and welfare standards for tenants.
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HMO licence conditions
Download this document: HMO licence conditions (DOCX: 317 KB)
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Guidance on standards and management of HMO properties
Download this document: Guidance on standards and management of HMO properties (PDF: 351 KB)
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Lacors fire safety guidance
Download this document: Lacors fire safety guidance (PDF: 1.9 MB)
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Landlords guide to fire risk assessment in residential properties
Download this document: Landlords guide to fire risk assessment in residential properties (PDF: 270 KB)
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Electrical safety standards
Government guidance
- Houses in multiple occupation and residential property licensing reform - guidance for local housing authorities
- Private renting - a landlord's safety responsibilities
- Reducing the risks - the housing health and safety rating system