The mandatory HMO rule
An HMO is not determined by the number of bedrooms. Occupancy, households, facilities and the building type matter. For an ordinary shared house, five or more people forming two or more households is a useful starting point for mandatory licensing.
Additional HMO licensing for smaller houses
Additional licensing is designated by individual councils. Three or four sharers may fall within a local scheme. Check the scheme dates, boundary and exceptions before deciding.
Keep licensing and planning checks separate
A licensing check does not establish whether planning permission or an Article 4 restriction applies. Ask the council about both where relevant.
Application, fees and evidence
Apply through the council responsible for the property. Follow its current application instructions, fee schedule, conditions and official designation. Monitoring subscriptions are separate from the council’s application and licence fees.
Read the fee guide and organise the actual certificate dates. The checker does not submit an application or certify a property’s compliance.
Reviewed additional HMO reports
These councils have published records of this type in our current catalog. The list is partial; a council missing here may still have a scheme.
- Lambeth HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
- Reading HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
- Sandwell HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
- Westminster HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
- Wandsworth HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
- Hackney HMO licensing · 1 reviewed record
Browse council overviews or read the coverage and freshness limits.
Check your property
Use the free checker with your council and property facts. Partial boundaries, flats, converted buildings, resident landlords and statutory exemptions still need individual review.