Additional HMO Licensing Landlords' Briefing

There are accommodation standards and conditions required to be able to apply for a HMO licence.

These include:

• amenity standards
• room sizes
• household waste management

Amenity standards

Amenity standards include the bathroom and kitchen.

Please note that:

• a volume of 1m3 is equal to 1m x 1m x1m (or 100cm x 100cm x 100cm)
• a volume of 0.1m3 is equal to 0.5m x 0.5m x 0.4m (or 50cm x 50cm x 40cm)
• a volume of 0.08m3 is equal to 0.5m x 0.5m x 0.32m (or 50cm x 50cm x 32cm)

Bathroom amenity standard

Where a separate toilet is provided the room should contain a wash hand basin with hot and cold running water. The wash hand basin should be correctly connected to waste drainage.

The term 'bathroom' means a room containing a bathing facility, which can either be a suitable bath or shower compartment or both.

Kitchen amenity standard

5 people

• 1 x sink
• 1 x 4 ring cooker
• other amenities as detailed on the amenity schedule

6 to 7 people

• 2 x sink or 1 x sink and 1 x dishwasher
• 2 x 4 ring cooker or 1 x 6 ring cooker and microwave
• other amenities as detailed on the amenity schedule

8 to 10 people

• 2 x sink or 1 x sink and 1 x dishwasher
• 2 x 4 ring cooker
• other amenities as detailed in amenity schedule

11 or more people

• contact the Healthy and Sustainable Homes Team to discuss further

Other required kitchen amenities in a shared house

• fridge with freezer space 1 shelf per person (with a volume of 0.08m3 or more) should be provided
• a worktop of 1.5m in length by at least 0.5m depth should be provided for up to 5 occupants to share; for additional occupants a further 0.5m length by 0.5m depth of worktop should be provided, until the total worktop reaches 3m in length by at least 0.5m depth
• 4 x electrical sockets in addition to those used for major appliances (fridge, microwave, washing machine)
• dry food storage 1 shelf per person (with a volume of 0.08m3 or more) - the space in the unit under the sink is not acceptable
• where cooker rings or hobs are provided, they must be suitable, safely located and permanently safely installed on a fixed worktop, and connected to the fixed electrical system

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Room sizes

Room sizes covers bedrooms, the kitchen and living areas.

The following rooms sizes will apply to all licensable HMOs and follows the National Minimum Room Sizes guidance.

A room is used as sleeping accommodation if it is normally used as a bedroom, whether or not it is also used for other purposes.

Where a breach is found to exist regarding room sizes, local authorities will give up to 18 months from Saturday 1 April 2023 to comply.

When measuring the room size, the following space should be excluded:

• floor areas where the ceiling height is less than 1.5 metres
• chimney breasts
• area taken up by bathroom or water closet facilities either ensuite or within the room
• areas which are not floor spaces – for example, bulkheads and wide window ledges
• any floor space which for any other reason renders it unusable by the occupant

But the floor area will include:

• bay windows
• fixed cupboards, usable by the occupant
• walk in wardrobes where they are at floor level and have a head height of at least 1.5m
• projected skirting boards

Communal living space guidance (recommended minimum standard, considering property as a whole):

• kitchen - 7m2
• living room - 10m2
• combined kitchen and living room - 15m2

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Household waste management

Licences must contain conditions to ensure that landlords of licensed HMOs comply with any relevant local authority waste scheme relating to the storage and disposal of household waste at the HMO pending collection.

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Also see

• HMO licensing guidance
• List of HMO licenced properties
• HMO management regulations
• Controlling the concentration of HMOs
• Application for landlord training