Houses and flats occupied by unrelated tenants who share kitchen, bathroom and/or other facilities are known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
HMOs also include houses and flats occupied by live in landlords with three or more tenants, some guesthouses, hostels and lodging houses and certain buildings which have been converted into self-contained flats containing tenants.
If you are a tenant living in an HMO and you need advice or information, please contact us.
Regulation and responsibilities
We regulate, inspect and where appropriate licence HMOs in accordance with housing and environmental health legislation and our adopted standards for HMOs.
The regulation, inspection and licensing of an HMO ensures it has an appropriate number of bedrooms of an appropriate size, adequate kitchen and bathroom facilities, appropriate fire safety measures and adequate refuse storage facilities.
As a tenant, you will generally be responsible for internal decorations within your flat or bedsit and any of your own appliances or fixtures.
Your landlord will generally be responsible for the maintenance and management of the HMO, its communal areas, its amenities, the fire precautions such as fire detection and emergency lighting systems, and the internal maintenance of the rented flats or bedsits.
If you think your landlord may need a licence, see landlord's guide to licensing.