Houses in multiple occupations (HMO) licensing

Wychavon District Council will inspect Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to ensure that they are up to the current property standards.

The information on this page will help you understand if your property is a HMO, how to make sure it is properly licensed and your other responsibilities under the regulations governing HMOs. 

Use the links below to find the information you need:

• What is a HMO?
• Do I need a HMO licence and applications
• Renewing your HMO licence
• HMO licence fees
• Check if your landlord has applied for a licence
• Fire safety
• HMO Standards
• Repairs
• HMO regulations
• Contact the Private Sector Housing Team

What is a HMO?

HMO’s are defined in Part 7 of the Housing Act 2004. Your property is a HMO if both of the following apply:

• at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than one household
• toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities are shared

Exemptions

The following properties do not need a HMO licence:

• Properties under the management or control of a local housing authority, a registered social landlord or certain other public bodies
• Properties regulated under other enactments such as children's homes, care homes and bail hostels
• Students studying a full time course of further education and higher education at a specified education establishment which manage the building and the specified education establishment is subject to an approved Code of Practice
• Properties occupied for the purpose of a religious community whose main occupation is prayer, contemplation, education or the relief of suffering
• Properties occupied by a resident landlord, family and not more than 2 unrelated persons
• Properties occupied by only two persons each of who form a separate household.

What is a household?

Families, related individuals, couples (including co-habiting and same sex couples), or a single person who use the property as their main residence would be classed as one household. The definition will also include other relationships such as fostering and carers as well as domestic staff who do not pay rent but live in the same property as the employer.

Do I need a HMO licence?

If you rent a property to five or more people, not from the same household and they share facilities you must have a HMO licence.

Make your application to the Private Sector Housing department for an HMO licence. Your payment can be submitted online as part of your application.

Read the Licensing Online Application page to support your application. Please note: we are no longer processing paper applications.

Apply for a HMO licence

Licensing renewal

If you need to renew your licence, then please fill in our online HMO licence renewal form. Once you have made your renewal application you need to pay your HMO licence renewal fee.

HMO Licence fees

HMO Licence fees from 1 April 2024 are set out in the table below:

Please note: If you have previously submitted your certificates when you applied for your licence and the certificates are in date and have not expired, you will not need to re-submit them.

Has my landlord applied for a licence?

Under the Housing Act 2004, every local authority has to maintain a register of premises licensed as an HMO. This register has to be made available to the public.

spreadsheet View the Wychavon HMO Public Register (WDC) (23 KB)

If you have concerns about a property you believe may be being used as a HMO without a licence then please report it to us.

Report an unlicensed HMO property

Fire safety

HMOs have a higher risk of fire than single family dwellings due to increased occupancy, multiple ignition sources, vulnerable occupants, poor construction and lack of fire prevention measures.

Fire safety is included in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and is inspected by the Council.

Basics precautions you should take to reduce the risk of fire in your property include:

• Remove polystyrene ceiling tiles
• Discourage use of portable gas or liquid heaters
• Ensure that the electrical wiring is safe
• Ensure that gas appliances are tested annually by a Gas Safe Engineer
• Ensure regular maintenance of all fire apparatus, fire alarms and emergency lighting in line with the current British Standards
• Provide a sensible internal layout
• Fire resistant surface finishes
• Property regularly inspected for disrepair
• Keep escape routes free from obstruction
• Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority also inspect HMO's communal areas under the Regulatory.

HMO standards

The minimum room sizes for HMO properties with 5 or more sharing are:

• 6.51 m² for one person over 10 years of age

• 10.22 m² for two persons over 10 years of age

• 4.64 m² for one person under the age of 10 years - will be a mandatory condition that any room of less than 4.64 m² may not be used as sleeping accommodation.

pdf Read the guide to Standards for Houses of Multiple Occupation (1.43 MB)  for more information.

Repairs

Where the landlord has been told about the need for repairs and failed to carry them out, a tenant can contact Wychavon District Council, who can offer initial advice, more information and investigate a formal complaint under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004. Officers can carry out a risk assessment of the property using the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Landlords will be advised by the Council of details of the inspection at their property. 

Regulations

A manager of a HMO has a duty to manage the house under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006. These regulations include bedsits, shared flats and houses, buildings not fully converted into self contained flats, hostels and guest houses.

The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions) (England) Regulations 2007 also include Section 257 HMOs.

Both pieces of legislation have very similar managerial requirements. This includes:

• The manager is to provide his/her name, address and telephone number to all occupants and to display this in a prominent position.
• All means of escape from fire to be kept free from obstruction
• Fire alarms and fire fighting equipment to be kept in good order
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the occupiers. This includes protecting the occupants from falls from low window sills, balconies and roofs.
• To ensure that the water supply and drainage system is maintained in a good, clean working condition. Including water fittings liable to damage from frost to be protected.
• To provide a copy of the latest Gas Safe certificate and electric wiring test certificate within seven days of the Council requesting it. The electrical wiring must be tested at intervals not exceeding five years by a qualified person. These supplies must not be unreasonably interrupted.
• Maintain the common parts, fixtures, fittings and appliances in good order, clean decorative repair and free from obstruction. This includes handrails, stair coverings, windows and adequate lighting.
• Maintain common outbuildings, yard and forecourt in good order
• Gardens, boundary walls, fencing and railing to be kept in good safe condition.
• Living accommodation to be kept in good repair.
• Provide proper facilities and arrangements for refuse storage and disposal.

The manager is classed as:

• The owner of the property, or
• A person receiving rent or other monies.
  The manager must give at least 24 hours notice to access the property unless there is an emergency. If reasonable access is refused the manager should get advice from a solicitor or a professional organisation before taking further action.

Records should be kept by the manager to demonstrate an effective management system.

Tenant Responsibilities

The tenant may be responsible under terms of a tenancy agreement but under the Regulations the manager is responsible for ensuring that things are put right when problems occur. This is because the failure of one tenant can result in the other tenants being put at risk.

Under the above Regulations the tenant responsibilities are:

• Take care not to hinder the manager in the performance of their duties.
• Allow access to the manager at reasonable times so that he/she can carry out his duties.
• Provide information which the manager may require to comply with his/her duties.
• Take care to avoid damaging the property
• Comply with the managers arrangements for the storage and disposal of rubbish
• Comply with the manager's reasonable instructions in respect of means of escape from fire, prevention of fire and use of fire equipment.
• These responsibilities are usually more appropriate to pursue by the manager under his/her powers under the tenancy agreement.

Waste disposal

As part of the new requirements for a HMO licence, you must comply with any local waste policy relating to the storage and disposal of the household waste pending collection from the HMO.