To operate a HMO of this type, the manager or other relevant
person (landlord, owner, etc.) must apply for a licence and pay the
fee. The current fee is £80 per let room (bathrooms and separate
kitchens are not included, even if they are exclusive to a
letting). When we are satisfied that the licence holder and manager
are fit and proper persons to hold a licence, and that the house is
reasonably suitable for use by a given number of people, we must
issue a licence. Tacit consent will apply in this instance, and
once we accept an application, the house can be occupied as a HMO
until such time as the licence is either issued or refused, but we
may place conditions on the interim occupation. We aim to either
issue or refuse a licence, within 8 weeks of acknowledging receipt.
Following acknowledgement of your application, you will be
contacted by the Enforcement Officer dealing with your application
to make an appointment to inspect the property.
If we refuse to issue a licence, and we must give the reasons
for this, you have a right to appeal that decision to the
Residential Property Tribunal
within 28 days of the decision being made.
Your licence will contain a set of mandatory licence conditions,
which are required by the Housing Act 2004. It may also contain
conditions imposed by us. These may be permanent conditions or may
relate to works which are required to be done within a specified
period of time. You have a right to appeal these imposed conditions
to the Residential Property Tribunal.
It is an offence to operate or manage a HMO which should be
licensed without a licence. The maximum fine on conviction is
£20000. This could also mean that the person convicted is
considered not to be a fit and proper person to hold a licence,
which means that they would be unable to hold a licence for a HMO
anywhere in England, nor could they be a manager.
It is also possible for a rent repayment order to be made
against the convicted person which would require the repayment of
all rents received from people living in the property during the
period it was being used as an unlicensed HMO, to a maximum of 12
months. These orders could apply to any housing benefit payments
made by the local authority as well as any amount paid by the
tenants. We are required to maintain a public register of all
licensed HMOs. This can be viewed online at or alternatively it is
available to view during office hours (9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to
Friday) at Bayard Place. We would ask that you make an appointment
to examine the file by contacting Private Sector Housing on (01733)
747474.
Independent associations exist to help landlords in many ways
including providing advice and support as well as representing
their members at national and local level. The National Landlords
Association can be contacted at www.tso.co.uk.
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Houses in multiple occupation application form
(1471KB, 21 pages)
Application form guidance notes
(89KB, 9 pages)