Houses in Multiple Occupation

Houses that are occupied by people who do not live as a single household are known as Houses in Multiple Occupation. Examples of the type of properties are:

Bedsits
Shared houses & lodgings
Employment or educational accommodation
Shared accommodation for homeless persons
Residential Care Homes and similar establishments
Self contained flats

These have specific definitions which are explained in the download on the right of this page.

Houses in Multiple Occupation have been found to provide some of the worst housing conditions for example, disrepair, inadequate means of escape in case of fire, inadequate fire precautions and a lack of basic amenities. The Council is therefore pro-actively inspecting such properties to ensure that they meet the necessary standards.

In April 2006, a new mandatory licensing scheme for certain Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) was introduced. This applies to HMOs of three or more storeys occupied by five or more people comprising at least two households.

From July 2006 the relevant parts of section 72 and 95 of the Housing Act 2004 came into force, making it an offence to manage an HMO or other property which is subject to licensing and for which no application for a licence has been made. The offence is committed by the landlord and any manager of the property, and on summary conviction the person prosecuted is liable to a fine of up to £20,000.

The Housing Act 2004, which contains the relevant legislation, does provide a range of exemptions to the requirement for a licence.

The Council has set the following fees, which do not attract VAT:

Initial Application - £300
Initial Application requiring assistance - £350
Renewal - £250

There are leaflets available from the Department of Communities and Local Government website which offer further advice to landlords and tenants on HMO licensing matters.

If you have any queries on HMO licensing, please contact the Private Sector Housing team by phoning 01993 861060 or use the online service also available on the right of this page.