HMO Leglislation
Key Points
- Houses in Multiple Occupation legislation applies to all properties occupied by three or more unrelated people.
- Such premises must be licensed by the council. A landlord or agent may be guilty of an offence if they let such a property without having the required HMO licence.
- To acquire an HMO licence a landlord has to typically comply with the following:
Facilities
- Toilet - one for every five people
- Bath or shower - one for every six people
- Washbasin - within or adjacent to each toilet
- Adequate heating, lighting and ventilation
Safety
- A mains operated fire alarm system must be installed
- All gas and electrical appliances must be maintained in a safe and satisfactory condition
- Any furniture must meet with the legal regulations on fire safety
- In some properties doors must be upgraded to fire door standards
- At least one fire blanket and fire extinguisher must be provided
- A fire risk assessment must be carried out and kept up to date
As a tenant you have a responsibility to test the smoke detectors monthly and we provide a record sheet to be completed after each test which we and the council inspectors will check on a regular basis.
