By law, you need a HMO licence if you're the landlord of a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO).
HMO licences last for a maximum of 5 years, although it can be for a shorter period.
The licence holder must renew their licence if they want to operate after the expiration of the licence period.
- Renew your HMO licence online
- Assistance with your HMO licence application
- Operating without a HMO licence
- HMO licensing advice
Renew your HMO licence online
The current licence holder must renew their licence before their licence expires.
Contact us on email: hmolicensing@york.gov.uk before the licence expiry date, and we'll send details on how to renew your licence, which can be done online.
When renewing your licence, you'll need to include the correct HMO licensing fee and the required supporting documents for your application to be valid:
- gas safety certificate
- electrical safety certificate
- energy performance certificate
- written fire risk assessment
- portable appliance test certificate (for appliances supplied with the property)
- plan of the property showing room sizes and numbers of rooms
You must complete your renewal application before your current licence expires to benefit from our reduced licence fee.
Read our HMO guidance notes to help you complete your application.
Assistance with your HMO licence application
Our Healthy and Sustainable Homes Service can assist with:
- making your application
- basic technical enquires - for example, what we base decisions on or how to object
Our Team cannot:
- confirm whether your application will be successful - we can only confirm this after completing necessary checks
- advise whether your property has relevant planning permission - you'll need to contact our Planning Team for this
Operating without a HMO licence
It's a criminal offence to operate a HMO without a licence when this is required.
Possible action we could take against unlicensed HMOs include:
- a formal caution
- a penalty charge up to £30,000
- prosecution - if found guilty, you could:
- get a criminal record
- get an unlimited fine
- be ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge
- Rent Repayment Order - you may have to repay up to 12 months' rental income
- other actions in accordance with our Enforcement Policy
You won't be able to use a Notice of Seeking Possession under Section 21 Housing Act 1988 to evict your tenants whilst your property is unlicensed.
As such, we advise you to achieve compliance at the earliest opportunity.
HMO licensing advice
For further information and advice about HMO licensing:
- complete our online enquiry form
- read our HMO Local Implementation policy
- contact our Healthy and Sustainable Homes Service
Also see
- Private landlords and tenants
- Apply for a HMO licence
- List of HMO licenced properties
- HMO management regulations
- Controlling HMO concentration
Healthy and Sustainable Homes Service
Planning Enquiries
DM Business Support