Please can you explain the terms of HMO licences.

[HannahLaura]

Local house is let to 3 unrelated adults. Does it require a HMO license.

Thanks.

www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation

Only a large (r or more tenants) HMO needs a licence

Thanks for the link...it says at least 3...

Is that 3 or 4....

I'm having real difficulty understanding the documents. ( yet read DfE stuff all the time!)

I read it as ‘’the least number of people has to be 3”, so 3 or 4, then 5 or more to be classed as at least 5 tenants.

Doesn't it depend on your local authority? Some are 3, some more.

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/houses_in_multiple_occupation_hmo
seems to indicate 5 or more people to require a licence.
Maybe contact Shelter (they have a webchat service as well as phone line) for confirmation.

@HannahLaura

Thanks for the link...it says at least 3...

Is that 3 or 4....

I'm having real difficulty understanding the documents. ( yet read DfE stuff all the time!)

At least 3 means 3 or more. However, it is not a large HMO - that needs 5 or more tenants. If it was a large HMO a licence would definitely be needed. As it isn't, it is up to your local authority.

No it doesn't.
5 or more requires a licence.
2 or more would be classed as an HMO but does not require a licence.
(Sections 254-259 of the Housing Act 2004) define what is an HMO)

@littlecrocodiles

No it doesn't. 5 or more requires a licence. 2 or more would be classed as an HMO but does not require a licence. (Sections 254-259 of the Housing Act 2004) define what is an HMO)

This. Except local authorities can opt for the need of Selected Licensing, they then choose the qualifying criteria. The local authority website will specify if they use Selected Licensing and under what terms you will need one.

Its 5 where I am

@titchy

Doesn't it depend on your local authority? Some are 3, some more.

This.

Generally it's 5 or more people but some councils it is 3 or more.

I thought it was more complicated than that and was relate to whether there were separate tenancy agreements etc?

I live in an area where it applies to three or more unrelated sharers such as student tenancies. That is a council decision, if you need to know for your area look up your local council planning pages.

Depends on your council, some it starts at 3, others more. It will be on the council website.

It is 3 where we are, as we live in an Article 4 area. (Ie too many students taking over family houses)

Look at your council website - it varies

Lots of it depends ... the local authority sets its rules but where I lived it's 3 or more unrelated adults who have separate tenancies and each room is self contained and lockable or any building with 5 or more unrelated tenants.

So 3 friends jointly renting a house or flat a not an hmo whereas a landlord with a house converted to 3 bedsits is. Even if there's no internal locks, houses with 5 or more sharers are classified an hmo.

I've seen rules for hmos to be connected to the height of the building too

3 people sharing not necessarily an HMO. You’d need to see their tenancy agreements. HMO requirements usually on the local authority website, there’s no uniform licensing arrangement for HMO and some councils don’t have a license requirement at all.

It depends if your council has designated the area as subject to additional licensing or not. If you're not sure you could anonymously contact them, but I imagine it's quite clear from their website.

As others have said it does depend on which local authority it is in.