Basic standards for small houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
If you are a private landlord or letting agent, you must provide your tenants with minimum living standards and housing conditions.
All small HMOs must have:
- an additional HMO licence
- minimum bedroom and kitchen sizes
- general, fire and electrical safety standards
It does not need planning permission.
Minimum room sizes
The minimum room sizes depends on:
- the age and number of people using the bedroom
- whether there is a shared living area
- whether the bedroom includes a kitchen
Bedroom size requirements
The minimum bedroom size must be for:
- a child under 10 years old at least 4.64 metres square
- a child over 10 years old at least 6.5 metres square
- an adult at least 6.5 metres square
- an adult couple at least 10.22 metres square
If there is no shared living area (only a kitchen)
The minimum bedroom size must be for:
- a single adult at least 10 metres square
- an adult couple at least 14 metres square
If the bedroom has a kitchen (and there is no shared living area)
The minimum bedroom size must be for:
- a single adult at least 13 metres square
- an adult couple at least 19 metres square
Kitchen size requirements
The minimum kitchen size depends on how many people live in the property.
The room size must be at least:
- 5 metres square for 3 people
- 6 metres square for 4 people
Safety checks and documents
When applying for an additional HMO licence, you must provide:
- a valid and in date gas safety certificate – this must be renewed by a Gas Safe engineer every 12 months
- a valid and in date electrical installation condition report (EICR) – this must be renewed by an accredited electrician every 5 years
- a floorplan of property, including room dimensions
Fire safety and detectors
You are required to provide as a minimum:
- mains-powered and interlinked smoke detector on each floor
- mains-powered and interlinked heat detector and fire blanket in all kitchens
- self-closing fire doors with intumescent or smoke strips to all rooms which contain electrical white goods
- emergency lighting if exit escape routes are long or complex
- a carbon monoxide (CO) detector near to a gas boiler or a solid fuel burning appliance, such as a wood burning fire
Other HMO amenities
You are required to provide:
- thumb-turn locks on all exit doors and all lockable rooms
- a mechanical extractor fan vented to the outside of the building in all bathrooms and kitchens
- fixed and programmable heating in each room – for example, either a radiator with thermostat value or programmable storage heater
- windows in working order and weather-proof
- window restrictors (opening to 100mm) to all upstairs windows which are 1,100mm from floor level
- fixed handrails for all stairs
Full housing standards guidance
This webpage does not include everything you need to provide as a private landlord. It aims to give you a general idea of the housing standards and living conditions we expect in private rented properties.
For full guidance, view or download the private sector housing amenity standards guide.
Contact our Housing Standards team
You can contact us online.