07 September 2008Definition of a House in Multiple Occupation
Under the Housing Act 2004 a property is defined as being a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) if it is one of the following:
Please note that some exemptions apply within the above criteria, for further clarification contact the Private Sector Housing Team.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing (Property Licensing)
HMO licensing came into effect from 6th April 2006 under Part 2 the Housing Act 2004. You may need to apply for a Licence if you are a landlord of a property that:
All HMOs (both licensable and non-licensable) are required to meet certain standards relating to fire precautions, amenities, management standards and the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS - see below for further information on this). For example a two storey, 3 bedroom house shared by three non-related individuals would not be subject to HMO Licensing, but is defined as being a HMO and must meet the required standards. See the documents below for further information, please contact the Private Sector Housing Team if you have any queries.
For more details on HMO Licensing, click the following link to download a Landlords Information Pack - HMO Full Guide (
PDF 504K file details).
For more information on the definition of a HMO and the required standards for all HMOs please click the following link to download an information sheet entitled 'What is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)?' ( PDF 37K file details).
Click the following link to download a list of Frequently Asked Questions ( PDF 56K file details) regarding HMO Licensing.
Click the following link to download a copy of the HMO Licence Application Form ( PDF 1472K file details).
Click here to download a copy of the Landlords Guide to the Management of HMOs ( PDF 171K file details).
Click here to download a copy of the Guidance to HMO Amenity Standards ( PDF 250K file details)that has been produced in consultation with a number of other Kent Local Authorities.
Fire safety is an important aspect of the Council's involvement with HMO's and landlords are required to improve (where necessary) the level of fire precautions to an acceptable standard. HMO's fall under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, click here for more details about the Fire Safety Order on the DCLG website. Click the following link to download an information booklet on the Order entitled a short guide to making your premises safe from fire ( PDF 330K file details).
The Housing, Health and Safety Rating System
The Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) came into effect on 6th April 2006 under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004. The HHSRS is a risk assessment system for assessing the conditions of residential properties and for enforcing housing standards. It replaces the Housing Fitness Standard, which was set out in the Housing Act 1985.
Under the HHSRS there are 29 potential hazards available for assessment. Some examples of these hazards include Fire, Damp and Mould, Excess Cold and Falls associated with stairs and steps. The assessment will show the presence of any serious (category 1) hazards and other less serious (category 2) hazards.
HMO's are subject to assessment under the HHSRS. For more information on the HHSRS please click here to view the Department for Communities and Local Government website.
Disrepair Complaints
Click on the following link to make a complaint about a property in disrepair if you are a tenant and feel that your property does not meet the standards outlined above.
Grants for repairs
Are you a landlord who wants to repair and upgrade the property but are unable to pay for all the works?
Subject to certain qualifying conditions and where funding permits, a House in Multiple Occupation Grant may be available to address problems relating to the means of escape in case of fire, inadequate basic amenities and disrepair. For more information on grants please click here.
