If the property you are renting is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), then the owner or landlord has to comply with regulations to ensure the property is decent, safe and comfortable to live in. This includes the provision of sufficient facilities (kitchens, bathrooms, wash basins) for the number of people living at the property.
A HMO is a building, or part of a building, that:
- Is occupied by more than one household and where more than one household shares – or lacks – an amenity, such as a bathroom, toilet or cooking facilities
- Is occupied by more than one household and which is a converted building – but not entirely self contained flats (whether or not some amenities are shared or lacking)
- a building which is converted entirely into self-contained flats if the conversion did not meet the standards of the 1991 Building Regulations and more than one-third of the flats are let on short-term tenancies
A household is:
- Families (including single people, couples and same sex couples).
- Other relationships, such as fostering, carers and domestic staff.
HMO Licensing
It is compulsory to license larger, higher-risk HMOs. Compulsory HMO licensing applies to properties that are:
- Three or more storeys high, and
- Have five or more people in more than one household, and
Share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets and cooking facilities.
