The Healthy and Sustainable Homes Team are responsible for:
- Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO Licensing)
- regulating Private Rented Sector Properties in accordance with legislation such as the Housing Act 2004 and Environmental Protection Act of 1990
- enforcing electrical safety regulations, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards legislation and tenants and landlords letting agency fees
- illegal eviction and harassment
- drainage and pest issues
We're here to provide you with support and advice as you make your applications. We'll also inspect all properties within the 5 years of the licence and proactively identify any unlicensed HMOs.
In addition, we'll take a graduated enforcement approach; advice, warning, enforcement.
Additional HMO Licensing
Currently all properties with 5 or more occupants, who do not form a single household, are required to have a HMO licence in York.
In most cases you need planning permission to use a property lawfully as a HMO.
It is your responsibility to ensure that all required permissions are in place. There are circumstances, for example if your HMO has been in continuous use for 10 years or more, where it may be lawful despite not having planning permission.
According to section 258 of the Housing Act 2004, a HMO is any property which is occupied by 3 unrelated people, made up of 2 or more households.
A 'household' is made up of:
- a single tenant or student
- a cohabiting couple (regardless of gender)
- a blood relation - mother or father, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, cousins or similar step relatives
Please note: a child counts as a person from birth for defining numbers in a HMO.
As of April 2023, new rules for licensing HMO come into force.
Additional licensing will apply to properties in 8 wards in the city, which are occupied by 3 or 4 people in 2 or more households, where householders share bathrooms, toilets and/or cooking facilities.
This includes:
- a building
- a converted flat
- purpose built flats (with up to 2 flats in the block, and any of which are occupied as a HMO)
The aims of additional licensing are to:
- help raise standards within the sector
- ensure that all properties are free from category 1 Hazards
- ensure that landlords have the right level of training
- identify poorly managed properties and take appropriate actions
Read more about which Wards are involved in Additional HMO Licensing.
Find more information on how to apply for a licence and other information you may need.
You can also read more about the distribution of HMOs online.
If you have questions regarding licensing please email: hmolicensing@york.gov.uk.