A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a home let to three or more people from two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet — a shared house, or a house let room by room. Many HMOs need a licence from the council, and in London that’s more common than most landlords expect.
🏘️ The Three Types of Licence
| Licence | Who needs it | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | HMOs with 5 or more people from 2 or more households (children count) | Everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO | Smaller HMOs — often 3 or 4 sharers | Areas the council has designated |
| Selective | Ordinary private lets, not just HMOs | Areas the council has designated |
Each London borough runs its own schemes, and they change, so check your council’s website for the property’s exact address before you let. A licence lasts up to five years and is for one property and one licence holder.
📝 Applying for a Licence
Applications are made to the council, usually online, with a fee set by the council. Expect to provide:
- Floor plans with room sizes and how each room is used
- A current gas safety certificate
- A current EICR for the electrics
- Details of the fire alarm system, and often a recent service certificate
- Details of the licence holder and manager, so the council can decide they are a “fit and proper person”
The council may inspect before or after granting the licence. Having your certificates in date and in one place makes the application quicker — that’s what our free client portal is for.
📋 Conditions Every HMO Licence Includes
- Gas: a gas safety certificate given to the council every year, if there is a gas supply.
- Electrics: the installation kept in proper working order and appliances or furniture you supply kept safe, with a declaration to the council on request.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation, and a CO alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers), kept working.
- Room sizes: bedrooms of at least 6.51 m² for one person aged 10 or over, 10.22 m² for two, and 4.64 m² for a child under 10. Councils can set higher minimums, never lower.
- Waste: follow the council’s rubbish and recycling arrangements.
- Tenancy terms: each occupier gets a written statement of their terms.
Councils add their own conditions too — often PAT testing records, fire door standards, emergency lighting and a set number of people per kitchen or bathroom. Read the conditions on your licence carefully: breaking one is an offence in itself.
🚨 Fire Safety
Fire safety is where most HMO inspections focus. You’ll normally need a fire risk assessment (covering the shared parts), a fire alarm system of the right grade and category for the building, fire doors on escape routes where required, and clear escape routes. The right alarm system depends on the size and layout — a small shared house and a large converted building need very different systems.
We cover grades, categories and servicing in our HMO fire alarm guide. FE Maintenance installs and maintains all fire alarm systems, including Grade A panel systems — see fire alarm installation.
🛠️ Running an HMO: the Manager’s Duties
Licensed or not, every HMO is covered by the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations. The manager must keep shared areas clean and in repair, keep fire escapes clear and fire alarms in good working order, keep water, gas and electricity supplies working, and display their name and contact details in the property. In practice that means a yearly gas check, an EICR at least every five years, regular alarm servicing and quick repairs when tenants report a problem. Our landlord certificates checklist sets out what’s due when.
⚖️ What Happens Without a Licence
- Civil penalty up to £40,000 (raised from £30,000 by the Renters’ Rights Act from 1 May 2026), or prosecution with an unlimited fine.
- Rent repayment orders — tenants or the council can claim back up to two years’ rent.
- A conviction or penalty can mean you’re no longer a “fit and proper person” to hold a licence.
- Liability now reaches managers and landlords higher up a rent-to-rent chain, not just the person collecting rent.
💷 HMO Certificates with FE Maintenance
| What you need | Price |
|---|---|
| Gas safety certificate (1 appliance) | from £65 |
| EICR | from £120 — larger HMOs quoted by size |
| Gas certificate + EICR, same visit | from £155 |
| PAT testing | from £65 per visit |
| Fire alarm installation, upgrade or servicing | Fixed quote |
Our prices are the total — no VAT added. Managing several HMOs? See landlord packages and letting agent rates.
🏆 Why HMO Landlords Use FE Maintenance
- Gas Safe registered and NICEIC qualified, fully insured — every engineer works directly for FE Maintenance, no subcontractors
- Gas, EICR, PAT and fire alarms — certificates done on the same day and emailed the same day
- Repairs and remedial work done by us at a fixed price agreed before we start
- Free online client portal — every certificate for every property in one login, ready to send to the council, with reminders before renewals
We cover North, West and Central London, plus Potters Bar and Hatfield. Ask for a quote or call 020 8445 1303.
General information, not legal advice. Applies to England, as of October 2026, based on the Housing Act 2004, the Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 and the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Licensing schemes differ between councils — always check with yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
HMO Certificates Sorted in One Visit
Gas safety certificate, EICR, PAT testing and fire alarm servicing for HMOs across North, West and Central London. Certificates emailed the same day, ready for your licence application.
info@femaintenance.com · 171 Crescent Road, Barnet EN4 9RN