HMO Licensing in London: What Landlords Need to Know

• **1. Mandatory HMO Licensing:**
• Required by national legislation for any property that is:
• •Rented to 5 or more people
• •Forming 2 or more separate households
• •Sharing facilities (bathroom, kitchen, or WC)

This definition applies across England regardless of borough. As of 2018, the definition was extended to include any property with 5+ occupants in 2+ households, removing the previous minimum 3-storey requirement.

**2. Additional HMO Licensing:** Boroughs can declare Additional Licensing Schemes that extend mandatory licensing to smaller HMOs — typically 3 or 4 occupants forming 2+ households. As of 2026, most inner London boroughs (Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Islington, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, and others) operate Additional Licensing Schemes.

Check the specific borough's website to confirm whether an Additional Licensing Scheme is in force — the coverage and thresholds vary.

**3. Selective Licensing:** Some London boroughs operate Selective Licensing Schemes that apply to ALL private rented properties (not just HMOs) in designated areas. Selective licensing is used in areas of poor property management, anti-social behaviour, or deprivation. It requires ALL landlords in the designated area to obtain a licence for every rental property, regardless of the number of occupants.

Boroughs currently operating or recently operating Selective Licensing in London include: Southwark, Croydon, Barking and Dagenham, Lewisham, Waltham Forest, Hackney, Newham, and others.

• **Operating without a licence:**
• Operating an HMO without the required licence is a criminal offence. Penalties include:
• •An unlimited fine on conviction
• •A civil penalty of up to £30,000 (First-tier Tribunal)
• •A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) — tenants can claim back up to 12 months' rent paid during the unlicensed period

An HMO licence is not automatically granted — the property and the landlord/manager must meet minimum standards.

• **Minimum room size standards (mandatory since 2018):**
• For properties subject to mandatory licensing, minimum room sizes apply:
• •Sleeping room for one adult: minimum 6.51m²
• •Sleeping room for two adults: minimum 10.22m²
• •Sleeping room for child under 10: minimum 4.64m²
• •Rooms below 4.64m² cannot be used as sleeping accommodation
• •Rooms between 4.64m² and 6.51m² cannot be used for adults

Boroughs may set higher minimum room sizes in their licensing conditions — check the specific licence requirements.

• **Facilities standards:**
• The property must have adequate facilities for the number of occupants, typically:
• •Minimum 1 bathroom and 1 WC per 5 occupants (some boroughs require 1 per 3–4)
• •Adequate kitchen with sufficient cooking, food storage, and preparation facilities
• •Adequate space heating in all rooms
• •Hot and cold water supplies to all kitchens, bathrooms, and WCs

• **Landlord/manager 'fit and proper person' requirement:**
• The landlord or property manager must demonstrate they are a 'fit and proper person' — this includes:
• •No unspent criminal convictions (particularly for fraud, dishonesty, violence, drugs, or housing offences)
• •No previous HMO licence refusals or revocations
• •No previous civil penalties for housing offences

**Licence term:** HMO licences are typically granted for up to 5 years, with some boroughs granting shorter initial periods for first-time applicants or properties requiring improvement.

Fire safety is the most critical compliance obligation for HMO landlords. The requirements are significantly higher than for single-family dwellings.

• **Grade D LD2 smoke alarm system (minimum for most HMOs):**
• The Government guidance for HMOs specifies a minimum Grade D LD2 interlinked smoke alarm system:
• •Interlinked means all alarms trigger simultaneously if any one activates
• •Grade D means mains-powered with a battery backup (not battery-only)
• •LD2 means alarms in all rooms where a fire might start: all habitable rooms, hallways, landings, and kitchens
• •All alarms in the circulation route (hallways, landings, staircase) should be heat detectors or optical smoke alarms — not ionisation alarms, which can false-alarm from kitchen cooking

**Higher specifications for larger HMOs:** For larger or more complex HMOs, the local fire risk assessment may require a Grade A system (addressable fire alarm panel) rather than Grade D.

**Emergency lighting:** London boroughs typically require emergency lighting (illuminated signs and battery-backed lights on the escape route — hallways, landings, and staircase) in HMOs with 5+ occupants.

• **Fire doors:**
• Fire doors (FD30S) are required on:
• •All habitable room doors opening onto the means of escape (hallway, landing)
• •Kitchen door opening onto the escape route
• •Any corridor or landing that forms the primary escape route
• •Door between an integral garage and the house
• FD30S fire doors must be fitted with self-closing devices and intumescent strips and smoke seals.

**Fire risk assessment:** All HMOs subject to mandatory licensing must have a written fire risk assessment, carried out or reviewed annually by a competent person. The risk assessment identifies fire hazards, people at risk, means of escape, fire detection, and fire-fighting equipment.

**Carbon monoxide alarms:** CO alarms are required in any room with a solid fuel appliance (including wood-burning stoves). Since October 2022, CO alarms are also required in any room with a gas appliance (boiler, gas fire) in rental properties in England.