Are there any rules about occupant numbers in renal accomodation?

[runningmonkey]

Wondering whether anyone has any advice. The house next to us has been rented out. It is a small 3 bed house and the new tenants appear to be a group of 5 adults.

The house is identical in size to ours so we know that there is one small living room and kitchen downstairs and upstairs are three bedrooms (only of which is a double) and one bathroom.

Does anyone know if there are any rules about renting property size/occupancy numbers? DH and I find it bizarre that a rental agency would allow this so are wondering whether we should ring them and ask or whether we should keep our noses out!

(only one of which is a double) sorry!

oh god, terrible typo in title too... RENTAL!

sorry

at the typo!

I'm not sure. I know that when I was a student it was common for landlords to get more in by having a reception room as an extra bedroom - but that might have only been do-able if there were 2 reception rooms.
So I'm wondering if you could have a couple in the double bedroom and then 3 people in each of the other rooms (including lounge).

If the 5 adults are not related, and the building has three or more stories, then it will count as a House in Multiple Occupancy and the landlord will need a licence from the council which may stipulate maximum number of residents.

Note the "three or more stories" get-out though...

In certain areas (usually student areas), councils can designate houses with fewer than three stories as HMOs.

It would also count as an HMO if each tenant had a separate rental agreement, locks on their bedroom doors and no say in who they were house-sharing with, although this sounds unlikely from your description.

I don't think there are rules if the house falls outside HMO guidelines (which tend to be for 5 separate renters - ie. no couples or family members).

Yep as others have said no rules provided that it is not a HMO which it doesn't appear to be.

Are they causing a problem for you?

Thanks folks. I thought that might be the case.

It just seems a slightly odd as I know that the owner of the house has relocated so has put it up for let while trying to sell it as its been on the market for ages. Therefore if 5 adults are living there, and there is no recognisable living room its going to be odd for viewings. The kitchen is tiny so no room for a dining table and chairs, etc.

They are not massively causing problems besides the fact that they are a bit noisy between about 11pm and 2am every night since they moved in - we share one adjoining wall with them (our bedroom).

It is just a bit odd tbh. They all arrive home together at 11pm, make loads of noise (up and down stairs, loud conversations) and then the house is quiet, curtains drawn until they all go out again together at around 2.30pm the next day! Seems v weird - all we can think is that they work together in something like a restauraunt?!

Shall just keep an eye on it I suppose and talk to them directly if the noise becomes a problem - although am slightly worried about that as we had a horrible experience with aggressive noisy neighbours in our previous house and with a toddler and imminent newborn I'm sure we make our own form of noise from time to time :)

Runningmonkey - had a look. Same here. I reported them to the council as a 'House of multiple occupation' (HMO) and they had to spend loads of money complying with regulations. Now they've done that, the house looks rubbish, and has blighted the area, and de-valued my house. Marvelous!

Thanks for sharing your experience sesame, what a pain! I will bear that in mind though. No idea how they would amend the house and the garden is tiny too! Ours is enough of a squeeze with two adults, a toddler and bump so it must be v cramped for them!

Have talked to DH and we've decided to try to introduce ourselves if/when we see them and mention the fact we can hear them in a kind of 'hope our little girl doesn't disturb your sleep kind of a way'. If it becomes a big problem we will then phone the agency.