What type of property is classed as a ‘House of Multiple Occupation (HMO)’?
A HMO has:
- at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than 1 household
- there are shared toilet/bathroom and kitchen facilities with other tenants[1]
A large HMO is defined as:
- the property has least 3 storeys
- at least 5 unrelated tenants live there
- at least 2 households living there
- there are shared toilet/bathroom and kitchen facilities with other tenants
NB: A household is classed as either a single person or members of the same family who live together.
A large HMO has certain standards and obligations that the landlord of the property must adhere to. These include:
- proper fire safety measures are in place – for licensed HMOs smoke detectors must be installed
- annual gas safety checks are carried out
- electrics are checked every 5 years
- the property is not overcrowded
- there are adequate cooking and washing facilities
- communal areas and shared facilities are clean and in good repair
- there are enough rubbish bins/bags[2]
- the manager of the house – you or an agent – is considered to be ‘fit and proper’, eg no criminal record, or breach of landlord laws or code of practice
Large HMO’s must also obtain a licence from the local council, plus some HMO’s must also have a licence, depending on the rules set by the local council that the property is located in[3].
A landlord can be fined for renting out a HMO without the appropriate licence and ordered to repay up to £20,000 or 12 months’ rent (including any housing benefit received) to the local council. A licence is valid up to maximum of 5 years. The local council also requests that the owner of the HMO must:
- send the council an updated gas safety certificate every year
- install and maintain smoke alarms
- provide safety certificates for all electrical appliances when requested
For more information as a HMO Owner, please click on this link to access a booklet published by the government’s Department of Communities & Local Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/15652/HMO_Lic_landlords_guide.pdf
If your property is in Cambridge, link on the following links for further information: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/houses-in-multiple-occupation & https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/licensing-of-houses-in-multiple-occupation
[1] https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation
[2] http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/private_renting/about_private_renting/houses_in_multiple_occupation_hmo
[3] https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence
