MORE "HMOs" are to be licensed – what does this mean?

An HMO is a “House in Multiple Occupation”. Think of it as a bedsit.

It is a property rented out by people who are not from one household but who share facilities like the bathroom and/or kitchen. It is sometimes called a house share.

It can also apply to student lets and staff accommodation provided by hotels.

Some HMOs need to be licensed with the local authority to ensure a certain standard of management and safety.

This helps to protect tenants from rogue landlords who could take advantage of their situation at the lower end of the rental market.

There have recently been changes to the law which amend the criteria, meaning more HMOs will need to be licensed.

Previously, HMOs only needed to be licensed if the property had three or more floors and was occupied by five or more people, comprising two or more households.

From October 1 this year the mandatory requirement for licensing now includes properties of any size, occupied by two or more people, in two or more households.

Even if the HMO is not occupied by enough people to need to be licensed, a landlord must still meet the obligations relating to safety and standards.

Failure by the landlord to register an HMO, or to comply with the management regulations, can lead to an unlimited fine or fixed penalty of up to £30,000.

The tenant can also apply for a rent rebate.

You can obtain guidance from the website www.gov.uk and from your local district council, with whom you will need to register if you rent out an HMO.

If you are a tenant in what you think might be an HMO and you are concerned about standards, again you should contact the local authority.