Private rented property licensing

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

What is an HMO?

An HMO is a property occupied by three or more persons living as two or more separate households who share facilities. The property also needs to be the main residence of the occupiers which excludes holiday lets such as Airbnb.

HMOs can vary greatly in size, occupation and layout. Examples of HMO properties include shared houses, buildings containing bedsits, hostels and some buildings converted into self-contained flats.

There are amenity standards which apply to all HMOs in Ealing.

Amenity and space standards

These are the standards that the council will apply to HMOs to help determine the maximum number of occupiers for an HMO licence. The standards ensure that properties are big enough and have enough facilities such as bathroom and kitchens for the number of tenants.

Managers of HMOs also need to comply with Management Regulations.

There are two HMO licensing schemes in the borough:

Mandatory HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing is a national scheme and applies to larger HMOs.

You will need a mandatory HMO licence if you are a landlord or managing agent of a rented property that is occupied by five or more people in two or more households that share (or lack) facilities such as bathrooms or kitchens and it is the occupiers main residence.

Video on how to make a property licensing application to the council

Additional HMO licensing

Additional HMO licensing applies to smaller HMOs.

You will need an additional HMO licence if you are a landlord or managing agent of a rented property that is occupied by three or four persons in two or more households that share (or lack) facilities such as bathrooms or kitchens and it is the occupiers main residence.

Converted buildings (257 HMOs)

You will also need an additional HMO licence under section 257 of the housing Act 2004 if you are a freeholder, leaseholder or a person in control of a block of flats that:

has been converted entirely into self-contained flats, and
the conversion works do not comply with the appropriate building standards (Building Regulations 1991 or later)

Such converted buildings only need to be licensed where all flats are privately rented and under the same ownership or control, or considered by the council to effectively be under the same ownership or control.

This includes buildings within mixed use developments or above non-residential premises. An additional HMO licence is not required where a building has been converted into no more than two flats

Please note that if any of the flats in the building meet the description of a mandatory or additional HMO, those flats will need to be licensed separately.