July 2015
HMO
definitions
Planning requirements
HMOs for licensing purposes
Fire Safety
Space and Amenities
Hazards & management standards
Essential components for HMOs with shared
amenities:
Two or more households
 Three or more individuals

‘Household’ - can be a family, a couple (including
same sex couples) or a single person. 3 unrelated
people = 3 households
‘Individuals’ – all residents - this includes children
and babies
Planning legislation recognises 2 types of
residential HMO, distinct from single family
houses:
 3 to 6 persons [2 or more households] =
Planning use class C4
 More than 6 persons – a use outside the
recognised use classes
Article 4 Direction – affects C4 HMOs created
after 16 September 2014
All HMOs need appropriate planning permission
 Current
planning policies resist the loss of
family homes
 General presumption against granting
planning consent for new HMOs created after
16 September 2014 [or earlier for larger
HMOs]
 Council will take account of any planning
issues in determining property licence
applications
 ‘Mandatory
HMO licensing’ has been in place
for about 10 years
 Applies to HMOs of 3 or more storeys with 5
or more individuals forming two or more
households
 ‘storeys’ should refer to the number of floors
within the licensed dwelling but also includes
a non-residential/commercial use on a lower
floor. So a 2 storey maisonette above a shop
= 3 storeys
 HMOs
that do not come within mandatory
licensing will need a PRPL licence
 Standard exemptions will apply – RSL
accommodation, educational & religious
establishments
 Converted flats, where the whole building
might be an HMO under the Housing Act, are
more straightforward for licensing – each
separate rented flat will need its own licence
 All
types of HMOs will require a higher
standard of fire protection than a single
family house
 Requirements vary depending on type of HMO
[shared house etc] and number of storeys
 Additional requirements also apply to
buildings converted into flats and flats above
shops
 Lacors Guide – reference document
 Design guides
 Council
have adopted HMO standards that
apply where one or more amenities shared
 Include minimum ratios of baths, WCs and
kitchens to HMO residents sharing
 Include minimum room sizes for bedrooms –
single and double rooms
 Standards can be found on Council web pages
 Housing
Health and Safety Rating System
[HHSRS] applies to HMOs
 Management Regulations also apply to HMOs
 Management Regulations include important
requirements for landlords to maintain
services, maintain common areas and to
keep tenant accommodation in good repair