Multiple Occupancy Homes
Summary
The Council is responsible for checking Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to make sure they are in a satisfactory condition,
are safe, have satisfactory means of escape from fire, have sufficient bathrooms and kitchens, have adequate space and proper
management.
The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 applies to all such houses and sets out the
duties of managers and occupants of such properties.
Further information
What is an HMO?
A House in Multiple Occupation is a house, which is occupied by people who do not form a single household and where the
occupants share amenities such as bathrooms,toilets or cooking facilities. Examples include:
- A house let as individual bedsitting rooms
- A group of rooms on each floor let to single occupants
- Hostels, some hotels, guesthouses
- Lodgings, and shared houses
- Houses converted into self-contained flats
- Student houses
Licensing of HMOs
The Housing Act 2004 introduced licensing of some categories of HMOs. It is compulsory to license larger higher –risk dwellings.
These are 3 storey properties that are occuppied by 5 or more persons who make up 2 or more households.
A household can be :-
- single people
- Families (includes single parents, couples and same sex couples,children)
- (Live in employees of the above such as nannys ,carers and domestic staff etc will form part of the household
that has employed them)
Application forms to licence a HMO in the Blaby district can be obtained from the Council’s Private Sector Housing team
(0116 2727536)
The Council does not operate any additional or selective licensing schemes but does work with the DASH project (Decent
and Safe Homes in the East Midlands) in order to achieve where applicable consistency in housing standards and licensing
across the region.
External links
Decent and Safe Homes (DASH) East Midlands
The DASH website provides extensive information on housing standards, landlord advice and licensing.
