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Mandatory House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing

When you need to apply for House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence, information you need for your application, your responsibilities as a landlord and HMO licence fees.

In this section:

Supporting information for House in Multiple Occupation applications

We will only process applications which are valid. This means that each application for each property must be fully completed. 

Incomplete applications will be rejected and the ‘Part A’ administration fee will be retained.

Within the form you will need to provide details including:

  • the number of letting rooms, storeys and occupants including any children/families
  • statements and declarations that the licence holder(s), person(s) in control and or managing the property are ‘fit and proper persons’ and a statement
  • declaration that any furniture and furnishings within the property comply with The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended)

Details of the management arrangements, for example how you or your manager deal with:

  • complaints from tenants
  • terms of disrepair
  • emergencies

Required documents and certificates for all properties

If there is gas at the property a current Landlords Gas Safety Certificate then the certificate must be carried out by a competent Engineer (within the last 12 months) and must cover any gas appliances within the property.

Current (within the last five years) Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - the report must be carried out by a competent engineer registered with one of the following professional bodies:

  • National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)
  • Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA)
  • The National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT)
  • ELESCA

You will also need a:

  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
  • copy of the existing Tenancy Agreement or Rental Contract(s), or if the premises are currently unoccupied, a copy of the agreements you propose to issue to your tenants
  • residency check – you will be required to demonstrate that you are entitled to reside and remain in the United Kingdom, such as a valid UK Passport, or a permanent residence card issued by the Home Office

Fire safety

You'll also need:

  • a fire alarm test certificate complying with BS5839 (tested within the last 12 months)
  • a fire safety checklist

If an emergency lighting system is present, a test certificate complying with BS5266 (tested within the last 12 months).

This document does not constitute a fire risk assessment (FRA). In licensed HMOs, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a suitable and sufficient written FRA must be carried out by a competent person.

This could be by, or on behalf of, the licensee/prospective licensee, and is required in order to establish and reduce both the risk of fire occurring and the risk to people in the event of fire. For more information, read the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service website.

Floor plans

A copy of floor plans showing the layout of the property, we recommend that each floor is drawn on 1 side of A4 sheet of paper and must show the following:

  • number, type and location of any smoke/heat detectors, emergency lighting and any fire alarm control panels including any ‘remote hush, test and locate switches,
  • where each fire door is located, the plans must also show the location of each window and staircase
  • show the location of kitchens, bathrooms, WCs, sinks, wash hand basins and any other common areas such as lounges and dining rooms
  • any cupboards located under any staircases and on any halls or landings
  • any chimney breasts in any rooms including the number and location of any electrical sockets
  • the measurements of each bedroom, flat, bedsit and any common rooms such as kitchens, kitchen and diners, lounge and dining rooms

The plans do not have to be to scale but the measurements and layout of the property and each room must be accurate, you can show the measurements in square metres for each room or you can show the room dimensions this will enable us to assess how many people can occupy the property.

Request a floor plan from us

We can can do floor plans for you but there is a charge for this service for £246.84 (plus VAT).

You can also download an example of a floor plan.

Example of a House in Multiple Occupation application (PDF, 118.34KB)