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HMO licensing: do you need one?

When a shared house needs a licence, minimum room sizes, additional licensing, and the exemptions for housing associations and some other bodies.

2 min readUpdated 28 Oct 2026

Key points

  • Five or more people forming more than one household need a mandatory HMO licence.
  • Councils may also license smaller HMOs. Check your council's schemes.
  • Buildings managed by registered housing associations are usually exempt.
In this guide

A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a home shared by three or more people who aren't all one family and who share facilities like a kitchen or bathroom. Some HMOs need a licence from the council.

Mandatory licensing

In England, you need a licence if the property is let to five or more people who form more than one household and share facilities. It doesn't matter how many storeys the building has.

Additional and selective licensing

  • Councils can require licences for smaller HMOs (three or four people) in some or all of their area. This is called additional licensing.
  • Some councils also run selective licensing, covering most rented homes in certain streets.
  • Check your council's website: schemes vary a lot from area to area.

Minimum room sizes

  • 6.51 square metres for one person over 10.
  • 10.22 square metres for two people over 10.
  • 4.64 square metres for one child under 10.
  • Rooms smaller than 4.64 square metres can't be used for sleeping.

Exemptions

Some buildings aren't treated as HMOs for licensing, including those managed or controlled by a registered housing association, a council, the police, fire service or NHS. This is why many housing association rooms don't need an HMO licence, although they must still be safe and well managed.

Applying and keeping a licence

  • Apply to your council. Licences usually last up to five years.
  • Expect conditions on fire safety, amenities, waste and management.
  • Letting an HMO that needs a licence without one is an offence. Tenants can also claim back rent through a rent repayment order.
  • Planning permission may also be needed in areas with an "Article 4 direction".

Read more on GOV.UK. On SocialRooms, the HMO licence is optional when you list, because exempt providers don't need one, but most HMOs do.

Quick answers

I rent rooms to four people. Do I need a licence?

Not under mandatory licensing, but your council may have an additional licensing scheme that covers smaller HMOs. Check their website or ask their private housing team.

Does a housing association property need an HMO licence?

Usually not. Buildings managed or controlled by a registered housing association are exempt from HMO licensing, though other safety rules still apply.

General information, not legal or financial advice. Check GOV.UK or speak to an adviser about your situation.

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