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

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.