Does my house in multiple occupation (HMO) need a licence?

If you are a landlord and you own a House in Multiple Occupation, you may need a HMO Licence. Licensing is a mandatory requirement for all HMOs that:

• Have five or more occupiers, and
• Where some or all of the occupiers share a facility (i.e. bath, WC or kitchen).

If you can answer ‘yes’ to both of these criteria then you DO need a licence. Please note that it is a serious offence to operate a licensable HMO without a licence - fines of up to £20,000 can be handed down on conviction.

The Council charges £525 to licence an HMO of up to six units of accommodation for five years. For larger properties, an additional fee of £25 will be charged for every additional unit of accommodation.

Licence applicants must also provide evidence of management arrangements, that they are a ‘fit and proper person’ and that the HMO is in good order.

Once complete, please return it together with the supporting information detailed on the application form.