Standards for
Houses of Multiple
Occupation
A guide to understanding the basic standards
for Houses of Multiple Occupation.
Housing Standards, Portsmouth City Council, Guildhall Square,
Portsmouth, PO1 2AZ,
Telephone: 023 9268 8369
Email: housing.privatesector@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
May 2014
1
STANDARDS FOR HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION (HMO)
N.B. HMO owners and their agents are advised to ensure that any HMO does not
contravene any Planning restrictions or requirements. The granting of an HMO
licence does not confer any Planning permission or status.
1.0 General Information
This guidance has been produced by Portsmouth City Council for Houses in Multiple
Occupation (HMO), to assist owners and tenants to understand their legal responsibilities
and obligations and what standards tenants should expect in such accommodation.
All HMOs are subject to the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England)
Regulations 2006, as amended. Further guidance on this can be found within this document
and from this website www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/372/contents/made
This guidance indicates what amenities and facilities that will be sought for all HMO's within
our area. It has been compiled to comply with the Licensing and Management of Houses in
Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions)(England) Regulation 2007, in addition to the
requirement of the 2006 Regulation and other parts of the Act.
1.2 Definitions
1.2.1 House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, as amended


at least 3 tenants live there, forming 2 or more households
they share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants
A household consists of either a single person or members of the same family who live
together. It includes people who are married or living together and people in same-sex
relationships www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation
1.2.2 A Section 257 HMO.
The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions)
(England) Regulations 2007 came into force on 1st October 2007. These regulations apply
to section 257 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
A building converted into, and consisting entirely of self-contained flats AND


The standard of conversion does not meet at least that required by the Building
Regulations 1991 and
Less than two-third of the flats are owner occupied.
2
2.0 Facilities
2.1 Heating
A wall mounted, fixed form of space heating shall be provided in all rooms, including
bathrooms and WC compartments (depending on the location of the WC). The heating
system shall be capable of maintaining a constant temperature of at least 22°C in
bathrooms, 21°C in living and sleeping rooms, and 18°C in all other rooms and circulation
areas.
The heating shall be available to all tenants at all times. Control over the amount of heating
in each unit of accommodation shall be under the control of the occupying tenant, and the
method of heating shall be safe and where practicable be efficient and affordable.
Where heating is provided by a central heating system, including to common parts, the fuel
supply shall be via a dedicated supply, not a key or card meter (except where a system is
exclusive to an individual unit of accommodation).
2.2 Personal Hygiene
Wherever reasonably practicable, each unit of accommodation shall be provided with a
wash-hand basin, except where there is exclusive use of a sink. Otherwise, there shall be
provided a minimum of one wash-hand basin for every five occupiers, to be situated within a
shared bathroom.
Definition of a bathroom is:

A room which contains the following amenities, a bath and/or shower, a Water
Closet and wash hand basin.
Where these facilities are not exclusive, there shall be provided at the required frequencies
as detailed below.
Wherever reasonably practicable, all rooms containing a WC shall also contain a washhand basin. Otherwise, a wash-hand basin must be provided in a readily accessible position
within the vicinity of the room containing the WC.
No unit of accommodation shall be more than two floors distance from a bathroom or WC
compartment.
All facilities for personal hygiene shall be located within proper rooms or compartments.
External water closets shall be ignored.
All bath or shower rooms shall have a suitable layout and shall be of sufficient size (3.74m 2
for full size bathroom and 2.74m² for a shower room) to include adequate drying and
changing space. The wall finishes and flooring shall be readily cleansable, the flooring wellfitted and non-absorbent, and a suitable lock provided to the door of each bathroom or
shower room.
3
All baths, showers and wash-hand basins shall be provided with adequate and constantly
available hot and cold water supplied via suitable fittings and shall be properly connected to
the soil drainage system.
All baths and wash-hand basins shall be provided with glazed tiled (or equivalent) splash
backs to a minimum height 450mm, where practicable. Showers shall be provided in
purpose-made or properly constructed cubicles, or where showers are located over baths
shall be behind a well fitted screen or curtain.
All WCs shall be provided with a suitable seat and must be securely fixed. They shall be
properly connected to the soil drainage system and the cisterns provided with an adequate
and constantly available supply of water.
Numbers of facilities to be provided are:
SCHEDULE OF AMENITY STANDARDS IN RELATION TO NUMBER OF PERSONS
1 - 4 persons
5 persons
At least 1 bathroom and 1 WC (the bathroom and WC may be
combined)
1 bathroom AND
1 separate WC with WHB (but the WC can be contained within a
second bathroom)
NOTE: single WC would be allowed if separate from the bathroom.
2 bathrooms AND
6 - 10 persons
11 - 15 persons
2 separate WCs with WHBs (but one of the WCs can be contained
within one of the bathrooms.)
3 bathrooms AND
3 separate WCs with WHBs (but two of the WCs can be contained
within 2 of the bathrooms).
2.3 Kitchen Facilities
Each occupant, must have access to facilities for the storage, preparation and cooking of
food. This can be located within the room (normally described as bedsit accommodation) or
as a shared kitchen.
No unit of accommodation shall be more than one floor distance (storey) from a kitchen,
whether for exclusive or shared use. However, this condition may be waived where a
suitable, adequately-sized dining room or dining area is provided for the occupiers of such
lettings, either on the same floor as, or no more than one floor distance from a kitchen.
4
Where kitchen facilities are provided within a bedsit room, they should be situated in a
distinct ‘kitchen area’ and this area should, where practicable, be located as far from the
room door as possible. Where it is not practicable for the cooking appliance to be located
remote from the door, a fire-resisting screen of suitable height should be constructed to
shield the door from flames in the event of a fire occurring in the kitchen area.
2.4 Room sizes for a kitchen in a shared house (as sq m)
Number
of
persons
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Shared
Kitchen*
5.5
5.5
5.5
7
7
11
11
11
11
11
15
15
* If no other communal living space is provided.
All kitchens and kitchen areas shall have a safe and practical layout. In particular:(a) cooking appliances should, wherever practicable, have an adjacent work surface;
(b) no soft furnishings are to be within 600 mm of the cooker rings or hotplates, and
(c) the minimum clearance between the cooker rings or hotplates and any cupboard or
extractor above must comply with manufacturer’s instructions.
2.5 Open plan Living.
Where a single area has been designated as the overall common area for the property and
forms the kitchen, dining and living space for the property. The calculation for the floor area
will be undertaken by adding together the specific single room sizes, and reduce the space
calculated for the dining and living by 15%.
Example - 7 Kitchen + (11 dining room + 14 living room - 15%) = single room size.
5
2.6 Facilities for the storage, preparation and cooking of food in shared kitchens
Persons
1-5
6-7
8 - 10
11 -12
Notes
Cooking Appliance
Sinks
One conventional
cooker (oven, grill &
four hot plates)
One single bowl sink
and integral drainer
Two conventional
cooker (a combination
Microwave may be
used in lieu of second
cooker)
One double bowl sink
and integral drainer (a
one and a half bowl
sink is acceptable
where dishwasher is
provided)
Two single bowl sinks
and integral drainer
Two conventional
cooker (irrespective of
whether a
combination
Microwave is
provided)
Two conventional
cooker* and two
combination
Microwave ovens
Properly connected to
the electric or gas
supplies, electric
cookers must be on
their own fused spur.
Refrigerated storage
One under counter
refrigerator and a separate
freezer or one equivalent
combined fridge/freezer
6 + Two under counter
refrigerator and a separate
freezer or Two equivalent
combined fridge/freezer
Dry goods
storage
Two 500mm base
units and two
1000mm wall
units with doors
or equivalent
6 -10
Four 500mm
base units and
two 1000mm wall
units with doors
or equivalent
11+
Five 500mm base
units and three
1000mm wall
units with doors
or equivalent
Worktops
Electrics
1-5
2000mm (L) x
500mm (D)
Two twin socket, located
at least 150 mm above
the work surface,
6-9
2500mm (L) x
500mm (D)
6 - 10
Three twin socket,
located at least 150 mm
above the work surface,
10+
3000mm (L) x
500mm (D)
11+
Three twin socket,
located at least 150 mm
above the work surface,
10+ Two single bowl
sinks and integral
drainer and a
standard dishwasher
Each sink shall be set
on a suitable base
unit and provided with
adequate hot and cold
water properly
connected to the
drainage system
Fridge: 84cm(H) 60cm(W)
60cm(D) 100 litre capacity
Freezer: 84CM (H) 60cm
(W) 60cm(D) 85 Litre
capacity
Upright fridge/freezer:
175cm (H) 60cm (W)
65cm (D) 150 litre fresh
food storage, 85 litre
frozen food storage
6
The space below
a sink shall not be
used for dry
goods storage
This shall be
provided in
addition to any
space required
for cooking
appliances
in addition to any sockets
used for the connection
of major appliances
3.0 Space Standards
When ascertaining the size of any room, attention must be paid to the “usability” of the
space, and consider the height and shape of the room.
Height:
All rooms should have a minimum floor to ceiling height of at least 2.3 metres
over 75% of the room area.
Where the ceiling height is less than 1.5 metres the floor area underneath it shall be
disregarded and not counted as “useable space” in the room. Other areas that are not
classed as useable space are chimney breasts, circulation spaces behind doorways and
around staircases etc. If the room has beams then the height from the floor to the beam
must be a minimum of 2 metres
3.1 One person units of accommodation
Each bedroom must be greater than 6.5 m² (70sq.ft), if a separate living room is provided
which is not a kitchen/dining area. If no such room is provided the bedroom should be 10 m 2
(100sq.ft). If there is adequate "useable space" within the room once fully furnished, or
additional storage is located elsewhere within the property (for exclusive use of that rooms
occupant), then this standard may be relaxed, this judgement will be made by the inspecting
officer. If any rooms are deemed undersize then the room should remain empty or used for
storage purposes only, once the current occupier of that room vacates.
For bedroom with 2 occupants the room should be 14 m² (150sq.ft) or larger, except where
a separate living room is provided which is not a kitchen/dining area, in which case the
bedroom can be a minimum of 11 m² (120sq.ft).
3.2 Room sizes - Rooms type only.
Room
Bedroom - with living space
Bedroom - No living space
Bedroom - Couple with living space
Bedroom - Couple no living space
Dining room (1 to 5 persons)
Dining room (6 to 10 persons)
Living room (1 to 5 persons)
Living room (6 to 10 persons)
Bathroom
Metric
Imperial
6.5
10
11
14
11
14
11
14
3.74
70
108
118
150
118
150
118
150
40
All rooms shall be of a convenient and usable shape for their intended purpose.
No staircase, landing, passage, kitchen or bath/shower room shall be used for sleeping
accommodation.
The minimum space standards above relate to available space, this being the floor area
remaining after deductions are made for corridors, bath/shower rooms, WC compartments,
chimney breasts and those areas covered by sloping ceilings where the floor-to-ceiling
height is less than 1.5 m.
7
Portsmouth City Council when making a judgement accepts that some properties do not
wholly meet these standards and when taking account of the whole property and the
liveable space available to the occupants. Officers will assess the usability of the space
available in the whole property for the use of all the occupants.
4.0 Fire Precautions
The adopted national definitive guidance for fire safety in residential accommodation
(including HMOs) is published by LACORS, Housing - Fire Safety, Guidance on Fire Safety
provisions for certain types of existing housing, July 2008.
This document contains advice for landlords on how to ensure adequate fire safety
precautionary facilities are in place. The document is based on the fire risk assessment
principles and provides recommendations, guidance and specific equipment levels for all
types of properties.
The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses
(Miscellaneous Provisions)(England) Regulations 2006, within schedule 3 states that
appropriate fire precautions facilities and equipment must be provided of such type, number
and location as is considered necessary.
The requirement expected by Portsmouth City Council will vary according to the
observations and findings arising from any inspection undertaken, but in most cases the
following will be deemed appropriate:
4.1 Types of alarm:
Grade A:
A fire detection and alarm system that is designed and installed in accordance with the
recommendations of BS 5839: part 1 (2002), except clauses relating to alarm audibility,
alarm warnings for the hearing-impaired, standby supplies, manual call points and radiolinked systems, which are replaced by part 6. This comprises a system of electrically
operated smoke and/or heat detectors which are linked to a control panel. The control panel
must conform to current BS 5839: part 4 (or equivalent). In general the system must
incorporate manual call points which should be located next to final exits, and, in larger
multi-storey properties, on each landing. The alarm signal must achieve sound levels of not
less than 65dB (A) in all accessible parts of the building and not less than 75dB (A) at all
bed-heads when all doors are shut, to arouse sleeping persons.
Grade D:
A system of one or more mains-powered smoke (or heat) alarms each with integral battery
standby supply. These are designed to operate in the event of mains failure and therefore
could be connected to the local lighting circuit rather than an independent circuit at the
dwelling’s main distribution board. There is no control panel.
8
4.2 Levels of coverage:
LD2 coverage:
A system incorporating detectors in all circulation spaces that form part of the escape routes
from the dwelling and in all rooms or areas that present a high fire risk to occupants i.e. risk
rooms.
LD3 coverage:
A system incorporating detectors in circulation spaces that form part of the escape routes
from the dwelling only.
9
4.3 Grades and Coverage of automated fire detection and warning systems
The following is based on all properties being of sound traditional construction
Property description
Shared house HMO of up to two
storeys (shared cooking facilities)
Shared house HMO of three or four
storeys (shared cooking facilities)
Shared house HMO of five or six
storeys (shared cooking facilities)
Bedsit type HMO (no more than 2
storeys) (shared cooking facilities)
Bedsit HMO of one or two storeys with
individual
cooking facilities within bedsits
Bedsit HMO of three to six storeys
with individual
cooking facilities within bedsits
Three- to six-storey house converted
to self-contained flats (prior to Building
Regulations 1991, approved
document B standard)
Two-storey house converted to selfcontained
flats (prior to Building Regulations
1991, approved document B
standard)
Building converted partly into selfcontained flats and partly into bedsits
or non-self-contained lets
Flat in multiple occupation (FMO) (any
storey height and regardless of date
of construction/ conversion)
Details
Solid, well-fitting doors to all rooms
Grade D: LD3 coverage + additional detection to the kitchen, lounge and any cellar containing a risk (interlinked),
Fire blanket
30 minute protected route, FD30 doors to all risk rooms, 30 minute resistance to cellars,
Grade D: LD3 coverage + additional detection to the kitchen (heat), lounge and any cellar containing a risk
(interlinked), Fire blanket
30 minute protected route, FD60S doors with smoke seals to all risk rooms, Lobby protection to all floors (if 5
storeys), Secondary means of escape (if 6 storeys)
Grade A: LD2 coverage + additional detection to the kitchen (heat), lounge and any cellar containing a risk
(interlinked), Fire blanket
Grade D; LD2 coverage interlinked heat alarms with battery backup located in each communal kitchen, interlinked
smoke alarm in cellar, Interlinked heat alarms with battery backup located in each bedsit. Fire signage along fire
route if it is complex. Emergency lighting if there is little borrowed light or complex escape route.
 Grade D: LD2 coverage in the common areas and heat detectors in kitchens (interlinked)
 Grade D smoke alarm in each bedsit to protect the sleeping occupants (non-interlinked)
Fire signage along fire route if it is complex. Emergency lighting if there is little borrowed light or complex escape
route.
 Grade A: LD2 coverage in the common areas and heat detectors in bedsits (interlinked)
 Grade D smoke alarm in each bedsit to protect the sleeping occupants (non-interlinked)
30 minute protected route including 30 minute fire protection and FD30s doors to all rooms
 Grade A: LD2 coverage in the common areas and a heat detector in each flat in the room/lobby opening onto the
escape route (interlinked)
 Grade D: LD3 coverage in each flat (non-interlinked) smoke alarm in the room/lobby opening onto the escape
route) to protect the sleeping occupants thereafter as above.
 Grade D: LD2 coverage in the common areas and a heat detector in each flat in the room/lobby opening onto the
escape route (interlinked)
 Grade D: LD3 coverage in each flat (non-interlinked) smoke alarm in the room/lobby opening onto the escape
route) to protect the sleeping occupants
A mixed system:
Apply the appropriate recommendation for each unit of accommodation from this table and the appropriate wholehouse system based on the storey height
Grade D: LD3 coverage + additional heat detector in the kitchen (and shared living room depending on risk)
10
An emergency lighting system may need to be provided in some cases where the escape
route is long or complex. These systems will include luminaries provided in such numbers
and locations so as to adequately illuminate the staircase enclosure in the event of a failure
of the main lighting. Electricity supplies to automatic fire detection and alarm systems and to
emergency lighting systems shall be from a dedicated landlord’s supply.
Fire blankets are required in all kitchens
Portsmouth City Council do not endorse the use of fire extinguishers in the smaller type
HMO's, if they are to be used then you must ensure that your tenants are trained in the
correct use and on what fire each type of extinguisher is used. You must also check and
test the extinguisher in accordance with the manufactures guidelines.
5.0 Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation
The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 places a
duty on the manager of the property to provide and maintain good living conditions in a
house in multiple occupation to protect the tenants from risk and injury. The Licensing and
Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (England)
Regulations 2007 places similar duties on managers but specifically in houses in multiple
occupation which are converted blocks of flats.
The manager/person responsible for managing the house shall ensure that the
requirements of the regulations are met. The manager may be the owner, person in control,
person receiving rent, agent or any other specially designated person.
5.1 What areas are covered by these Regulations?





The manager must ensure that his/her contact details are provided to the
occupants and displayed within the property in the case of emergency - located
on a notice board in the common areas and included within the written tenancy
agreement.
The manager must ensure that means of escape from fire such as the escape
route should be kept free from obstruction and maintained in good working order
and repair, and where necessary provide notices (larger HMOs only). Fire-fighting
equipment and fire alarm systems are to be maintained in good working order.
Take reasonable measure to protect the tenants from injury which may be caused
by the design and structural conditions of the property and the number of people
occupying it, e.g. safeguard low level windows, unsafe balconies etc. (more
information can be found at https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/ext/housing-andcouncil-tax/housing/housing-standards--health-and-safety.aspx)
Water supply and drainage should be maintained in good working order and
repair.
Gas and electrical supplies and installations should be maintained in good
working order and in constant supply. A gas safety certificate must be available
where applicable and supplied on request by the Council. Fixed electrical
11



installation must be inspected and tested at least every 5 years by a qualified
person and a report to be obtained, which may be requested by the Council.
Common parts, fixtures and appliances must be maintained in good and clean
decorative repair, maintained in a safe and working condition and kept reasonably
clear from obstruction. E.g. banisters and handrails, stair coverings, windows,
lighting, gardens and yards, walls and fences etc.
Living accommodation, installations and appliances provided should be kept
clean and in good repair and order. Each room should be in a clean condition at
the beginning of the tenants' occupation of it. Windows and ventilation should be
maintained in good order.
Provisions should be made for adequate disposal of refuse and litter - 2 dustbins
with lids to be provided per 4 occupants.
More information on the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations is
available on the additional licensing webpage:
https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/ext/housing-and-council-tax/housing/shared-houses---additionallicensing-of-houses-in-multiple-occupation.aspx
12