Types of HMO

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can include properties known as:

• bedsits
• lodgings
• shared houses
• some converted self-contained flats

The main feature is that there is a sharing of facilities such as kitchens, bathrooms/toilets. This means that occupiers do not have sole use of their own facilities.

Typical examples of HMO are:

• houses where tenants have their own room or rooms but share something like a bathroom or kitchen
• shared houses where people live as a group but are not a family group
• houses occupied by the owner (residential landlord) plus 2 or more lodgers or house sharers
• mix of rooms and flats in a house – as long as there is some sharing of areas or facilities
• flats that are let out to sharers, 3 or more
• hostels, projects and other residential places that involve adults sharing living space (but not if the property is owned or managed by a registered social landlord)
• houses converted into self-contained flats where they do not meet the requirements of the 1991 Building Regulations, and at least one third of the flats are occupied under shorthold tenancies

Planning requirements for a HMO

• Planning permission is needed for a HMO when the building is being changed. If you want to provide accommodation as a large HMO (7 or more people), consult with the Planning and Building Control department to get advice.
• If you do not have the required permissions in place, our Planning Enforcement section may take action against you. They may require you to return the property back to a single occupancy house.