Houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs, is a term used to refer to residential properties where common areas, such as the kitchen, living room, and hallway, are shared by multiple tenants on independent contracts. Rather than a family, couple, or friendship group renting out a property as a whole, each bedroom is rented on an individual basis. The definition of HMOs first came about in the Housing Act of 1985, which identifies HMOs as any "house which is occupied by persons who do not form a single household."

Properties that are classified as HMOs can take many forms. HMOs can include:

• Shared student accommodation.
• A hostel or shared short-term accommodation.
• A shared house or flat, where the occupants are not a single household.
• A bed and breakfast hotel that allows long-term lets.
• A single property split into multiple standalone bedsits.

Qualifying for an HMO License

Over the last few decades, multiple new legislations have been brought into effect across the UK, aimed at regulating and licensing the HMO market. These stemmed in part from fire safety concerns in properties with multiple occupants. Today, offering an HMO property on the market requires you by law to ensure higher standards of fire proofing than non-HMO properties, along with several other requirements. To qualify for an HMO license, landlords must ensure:

• Adequate fire safety measures are in place, including smoke alarms/heat detectors and fire doors.
• A professional electrics check is conducted every five years.
• A professional gas safety check is conducted annually.
• Communal areas and shared appliances are well maintained and safe.
• There are adequate kitchen and bathroom facilities for the number of tenants.
• The property is not overcrowded:

HMO Overcrowding

In order to prove that a property is not overcrowded, clear size restrictions have been put in place. Landlords must ensure all rooms are within the size requirements for the number of tenants they plan to house in their HMO.

Kitchens

Kitchen size requirements may vary by local authority, but the smallest permitted kitchen size for any HMO property is 7 square meters (M2) wall-to-wall. The kitchen can be no narrower than 1.8 M2 at any point in the room.

An additional 1 M2 must be added for every additional occupant over 5 people, up to a maximum of 10 M2 for 8-10 tenants. If an HMO intends to house more than 10 occupants, it requires a second kitchen.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms must be at least 6.52 M2 for a single occupant and 10.23 M2 for a couple. For ceiling height, all bedrooms must have a height of at least 2.14 M over at least 75% of the floor space. Any areas with a ceiling lower than 1.53 M will not be counted towards the overall floor space.

Living and Dining Rooms

HMOs must provide an adequate living space or dining area for all occupants. Different sizes are enforced depending on whether the space is separate or a part of the kitchen.

For HMOs with an open plan kitchen-diner, it must be a minimum size of 16.5 M2for up to 5 tenants, or 19.5 M2 for between 6 and 10. These rules supersede the standalone kitchen size requirements.

For HMOs with a separate kitchen and dining or living room, the living space must be at least 11 M2 or 16.5 M2 for up to 5 and 6-10 occupants, respectively. The kitchen must still adhere to the minimum size requirements.

Alongside these size requirements, there are countless specific regulations that HMO landlords must comply with to qualify for their license, such as the appliances available in the kitchen, the natural light in the bedrooms, or the number of electrical sockets present. Keep checking back with our blog for more information on HMOs as we dive into these more specific regulations in the weeks to come.

Deciphering the plethora of HMO regulations and requirements can be a resource-taxing and time-consuming hassle, and with demand for HMO living soaring amongst students and young professionals, HMO landlords have never had their hands fuller!

Break through the noise with expert advice from estate agents who specialise in HMO management. Philip Ellis Estate Agents Whitefield has all of the experience and expertise to advise on any HMO enquiries. Get in touch today to see what we can do for you.