Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

New laws relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) came into force on 6 April 2006. The Housing Act 2004 requires landlords of some HMOs to apply for a licence.

A Landlord's Guide to Houses in Multiple Occupation

This Guide covers the definition of an HMO, details why HMOs need licensing, which HMOs need licensing, the definition of a 'fit and proper person', temporary exemption notices, the appeals procedure and penalties.

A landlord's guide and a fact sheet for tenants can be found in our related documents. In our related links section there is also a link to frequently asked questions on the DCLG website.

Links to the following documents from the DCLG website can be found in Related Documents.

Landlords - Do you need a Property Licence?

Tenants - Does your Landlord need a Licence?

How to Apply for a Licence

Application forms must be accompanied by a fee, which has yet to be set by the Council. Once the fee has been set, application forms will be available online and from the Residential Services unit.

If you think that the HMO you own or manage needs licensing, or require any further information or advice, please contact the Private Sector Housing Team on 01702 318146 / 318050

Tacit consent will apply to these applications. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period which is 60 days.