What is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)?

Your property will be defined as a HMO if:

• it’s rented to 3 or more people who form more than 1 household
• tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities

Tenants are only classified as a Household if they are:

• Co-habiting couples
• Blood-related, or foster families
• Carers and domestic staff

Flats

Purpose built flats would not require a HMO licence, however buildings converted entirely into self-contained flats would be defined as HMO if they meet all of the following criteria:

• the conversion did not meet the 1991 Building Regulations
• more than one-third of the flats are let on short-term tenancies / less than two-thirds of the flats are owner occupied
• the building is occupied by more than 2 people

To check if your property requires a HMO licence, please read applying for a HMO licence and complete the eligibility checker.

Maintaining your HMO Licence

You must:

• send the council an updated gas safety certificate every year
• install and maintain smoke alarms
• provide safety certificates for all electrical appliances when requested

We may add other conditions to your licence, e.g. improving the standard of your facilities. We will let you know when you apply.

Planning Permission

If the property does not currently have planning permission to operate as a House in Multiple Occupation you have a legal requirement to apply for planning permission if any of the below points apply:

• If the property use is changing from a single household to a HMO and it will be occupied by between 3-6 individuals (even if it has operated as a HMO in the past)
• If the property will be occupied by 7 or more persons

Planning consent operates independently from HMO licensing. Obtaining Planning Consent to operate a HMO does not guarantee a HMO licence will be granted and the granting of a HMO licence does not provide any certainty that Planning Consent will be given. 

For further information or advice in respect of this requirement, please contact Planning Services on :

• Telephone: 01443 425004
• Email : Planningservices@rctcbc.gov.uk

Appeal process

Any applicant who is refused a licence or wishes to appeal against conditions attached to their licence, can appeal to the  Residential Property Tribunal (RPT) Wales.  However, please contact us in the first instance.

Fines and penalties

You can be fined up to £20,000 for renting out an unlicensed HMO.