What is an HMO: House in Multiple Occupation, often called as HMO is a building or flat occupied or shared by multiple tenants that are not a part of the same family or household*. An HMO is a really simple concept and very popular in the UK. It applies to both bedsit style and shared housing where multiple tenants; not related to each other share a house or flat.
A property is an HMO if it is:
• An entire house or flat let to at least 3 or more tenants forming two or more households and sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet facilities
• A house converted entirely into bedsits or other non-self-contained accommodation; let to at least 3 or more tenants forming two or more households and sharing kitchen, bathroom or toilet facilities.
• A converted house which has one or more flats that is not wholly self-contained (i.e. the flat does not contain within it a kitchen, bathroom, and toilet) and occupied by at least 3 or more tenants forming two or more households.
• A building converted entirely into self-contained flats and if the conversion did not meet the standards of the 1991 Building Regulations with more than one-third of the flats let out on a short-term tenancy.
*Definition of household: A household may consist of a single person or two or more family members living together. Married or living together couple, relatives or half-relatives and step-parents and step-children are examples of family members.
A House in Multiple Occupation must be used as a tenants’ only residence and used solely or mainly to house tenants. Properties let to students and migrant workers are considered as their main residence, the same way as the properties let to domestic refugees.
If you are interested in a shared accommodation or looking to rent in an HMO property, please get in touch with us today to see what’s available and how we can help!
