What to know about being an HMO landlord
A house in multiple occupation, or HMO, is rental accommodation which is shared by a group of people. They are a popular choice for many people who are not ready to enter the property market. If you are the landlord of an HMO, there are certain rules which have to be followed.
What defines an HMO property?
A property is an HMO if both of the following conditions apply: there are at least 3 tenants, making more than 1 household and toilet, kitchen and bathroom facilities are shared. This can include a landlord also living in the property and some student accommodation, for example, a privately owned property shared by a group of students. If there are 5 or more tenants, a property is considered a large HMO.
Legal Requirements
As an HMO landlord, a person has to follow certain rules or face a fine of up to £5,000 if these are not met.
They include displaying the contact details of either yourself or the property manager in a prominent place, providing a minimum number of bathrooms and kitchens and an up-to-date risk assessment for legionella disease. Other requirements are similar to being an ordinary landlord, such as ensuring regular maintenance and meeting health and safety requirements.
HMO tenants also have certain obligations, which include allowing reasonable access to the landlord, not damaging items provided by the landlord and following refuse and fire-safety guidelines. The same rules apply whether students are living in a private flat or house or halls provided by the university or another provider and they are always clearly defined in any contract.
Young people looking for student properties Exeter can find examples of suitable accommodation such as https://www.exeteruniversityaccommodation.co.uk/student-flats-exeter.
Licensing
Some HMO landlords need to apply for a mandatory licence, which ensures proper management of a property. This is the case when a property is more than three storeys high and contains 5 or more tenants from two households or more. Additional licensing is required by councils who believe that a large number of HMOs are not properly managed.
