Houses in multiple occupation (HMO)

What is a HMO?

The Housing Act (2004) clarifies the definition of HMO as a building, or part thereof, that falls within one of the following categories:

a building or flat in which two or more households share a basic amenity, such as bathroom, toilet or cooking facilities: this is known as the ‘standard test’ or the ‘self-contained flat test’,
a building that has been converted and does not entirely comprise of self-contained flats: this is known as the ‘converted building test’,
a building that is declared an HMO by the local authority,
a converted block of flats where the standard of the conversion does not meet the relevant building standards and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied: this is known as a section 257 HMO.

Cohesive

Houses are occupied on a shared basis. These are normally occupied by members of a social group, for example students or a group of young adults. The occupiers have use of a bedroom but share other facilities including a communal living space.

Non-cohesive

Houses are occupied as individual rooms, where there is some exclusive occupation. Usually, there are bedrooms or living rooms and some sharing of amenities such as a bathroom or toilet and kitchen. Each occupant lives otherwise independently of all others.

Mandatory licensing

A property must meet all the criteria in order to require a license. A property with an existing mandatory licence cannot be transferred to a new owner.

Planning permission

If you use a building as a house in multiple occupation you may need planning permission.

Find out about applying for planning permission or building regulations approval.

Application process

Please be advised for all new HMO licence applications and HMO renewals that your application will not be reviewed and processed until all required documents have been submitted as part of this application.

Documents required

FOR NEW APPLICATIONS

Planning Application Certificate (with a tick box to confirm that the individual is aware that Planning must confirm in writing that planning guidance has been sought and they confirm that planning IS / IS NOT required).
Building Control Certificate

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS

Simple floor plan (This MUST Include floor sizes)
Number of occupants per licence request.
Up to date Landlord’s Gas Safety Certificate
Current electrical installation and condition report
Portable appliance test (PAT) certificate
Current Fire Detection and Alarm System Inspection and Servicing Report
Emergency lighting testing certificate
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Copy of the tenancy agreement (AST)
Contracts with managing agent (if used) (Self-management box)
Fire risk assessment and details of person responsible for completing monthly inspection checks
Confirmation of meters – Pre pay or not?

From 1 April 2024

Basic new licence (for a maximum of 6 occupants) £850
For additional occupants (no maximum) +£115 each
Basic renewal licence (for a maximum of 6 occupants) £850
For additional occupants (no maximum) +£115 each
Basic variation to your licence £160
For additional occupants (no maximum) +£115

Apply for a licence

Have you read the terms and conditions of applying for a HMO license?

Apply now:

House in Multiple Occupation licence application

Please read over the terms and conditions before applying for a HMO license. Your application will not be reviewed and processed until all required documents have been submitted as part of this application.

Public register

View the HMO Register 2025 (PDF, 44KB)

Contact details

Home Improvement Team, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU.

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 01472 326296

Opening times: Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4:30 pm, except bank holidays

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

HMO stands for a House in Multiple Occupation.

Simply, an HMO is when at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than 1 household or you share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants.

A mandatory HMO licence is required by law when there are 5 or more people, who form 2 or more separate households. HMOs of this size must have a mandatory HMO licence.

Where properties are not HMOs but are overcrowded, they are investigated by the Housing Enforcement Department in line with the NELC Enforcement Policy.

If there is a 4-bedroom house with a couple in one room, a single man in one, a single woman in another, and a couple in the last bedroom, this makes up four households under one roof, so is classed as a HMO. This HMO would be required to have a mandatory HMO licence if it met the room size standards. If not, the landlord would be required to reduce the occupancy of the property to meet the room size standards.

Mandatory licensable HMOs have an inspection by the council once they apply for a mandatory HMO licence. The mandatory HMO licence lasts for 5 years and then the relevant person will need to apply for a renewal.

Whilst smaller HMOs containing less than 5 people do not need to apply for a mandatory HMO licence, they may be required to be of a higher safety standard than non-HMOs.

Complaints made about HMOs are investigated by the Council and an inspection is carried out where necessary in line with the NELC Enforcement Policy.

Anybody can live in a HMO. This includes people who are working, people who aren’t working, and students. It is at the landlord’s discretion as to who lives in their property.

Landlords have to apply for a licence every 5 years. They must go through the council’s Housing Enforcement Department, and supply a range of evidence to ensure the property is suitable to meet the mandatory HMO licence conditions and safety standards.

As part of the mandatory HMO application process, the HMO will be inspected by an officer from the Housing Enforcement Department. If the property does not meet relevant standards, the landlord will be asked to carry out remedial works to bring the property up to the required standard. A re-inspection will be carried out by an officer from the Housing Enforcement Department following to completion of remedial work to ensure that it has been done to the required standard.

Information on how to apply and obtain a mandatory HMO licence can be found on the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) webpage (Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) | NELC).

There are some landlords that do not apply for a licence when setting up a HMO, these are classed as unlicensed HMOs and landlords can face prosecution or civil penalty.