If you live in a shared house or bedsit with multiple tenants, it may be an HMO. This guide explains what an HMO is, what standards your landlord must meet, and what you can do if they fall short.
Many people in the UK live in shared accommodation — houses of multiple occupation (HMOs). These properties carry specific legal requirements that landlords must meet. If you live in an HMO and your landlord is not complying, you have the right to take action.
Under the Housing Act 2004, a property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) if it is occupied by three or more persons from two or more households who share facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet. A "household" means a family unit or a single person.
Examples of HMOs:
Not an HMO:
Larger HMOs must be licensed by the local council. A licence is mandatory if the property is:
Since October 2018, the storey requirement was removed for many property types — check with your local council, as many councils have extended mandatory licensing to smaller HMOs or certain property types through additional licensing schemes.
A licensed HMO must meet minimum standards, including:
If your landlord is operating an HMO without a licence, you can report them to the local council. Renting an unlicensed HMO is a criminal offence, and the tenant may be able to apply for a Rent Repayment Order (see below).
The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 impose duties on HMO managers (usually the landlord), including:
Breaches of the Management Regulations can result in:
If your landlord is operating an HMO without a mandatory licence, you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) — an order requiring the landlord to repay up to 12 months' rent to you.
You do not need to prove financial loss — the unlicensed operation itself is the trigger. Many tenants successfully recover thousands of pounds through RROs. The application can be made by an individual tenant or by the local council.
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