HMO Licensing & Compliance
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) require mandatory licensing and compliance with enhanced standards. MaintenanceOS tracks licences, conditions, and inspection readiness.
What Counts as an HMO
Mandatory licensing (England & Wales):
- • 5+ occupants forming 2+ households
- • 3+ storeys (pre-2018 definition — some councils still apply)
Additional licensing (council-specific):
- • Some councils license all HMOs regardless of size
- • Check local scheme — MaintenanceOS flags by postcode
Selective licensing (area-based):
- • All rental properties in designated areas
- • Not HMO-specific but same tracking
Licence Tracking
Each HMO property → HMO tab:
- • Licence number + issuing council
- • Issue date + expiry date (typically 5 years)
- • Licence holder (must be "fit and proper person")
- • Maximum permitted occupants
- • Auto-warning: 6 months before expiry
Mandatory Licence Conditions
Every HMO licence includes these conditions (Housing Act 2004):
1. Gas Safety
- • Annual gas safety check (CP12)
- • Copy to council on request
2. Electrical Safety
- • 5-yearly EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
- • Portable appliance testing (PAT) recommended annually
3. Fire Safety
- • Working smoke alarms (Grade D, LD2 coverage)
- • Heat detector in kitchen
- • Fire doors (FD30s) on risk rooms
- • Fire blanket in kitchen
- • Emergency lighting (if 3+ storeys)
- • Fire risk assessment (annual review)
4. Amenities Standards
- • Sufficient bathrooms/WCs for occupants
- • Sufficient kitchen facilities
- • Adequate heating, ventilation, lighting
5. Management Standards
- • Manager contact details displayed
- • Repair reporting system
- • Refuse storage / collection
- • Anti-social behaviour procedure
6. Room Sizes (England)
- • Single room: ≥6.51m² (1 person), ≥10.22m² (2 persons)
- • Double room: ≥10.22m²
- • Under-10 rooms: ≥4.64m² (not counted for max occupancy)
Condition Monitoring
MaintenanceOS creates compliance tasks for each condition:
- • Gas safety → Annual task
- • EICR → 5-yearly task
- • Fire risk assessment → Annual task
- • Smoke alarm test → Monthly task (contractor/tenant)
- • Fire door inspection → Quarterly task
Dashboard: Compliance → HMO Conditions
- • Green: Current
- • Amber: Due within 30 days
- • Red: Overdue
Council Inspections
Pre-inspection checklist (auto-generated 2 weeks before):
- • All certificates current
- • Fire risk assessment reviewed
- • Room sizes verified
- • Amenities adequate
- • Management records up to date
- • Tenant feedback log available
During inspection:
- • Council officer may request MaintenanceOS access (read-only)
- • Use Inspection Mode → Generates compliance pack (PDF)
Post-inspection:
- • Upload inspection report
- • Track required actions with deadlines
- • Evidence completion → Council sign-off
Licence Renewal
Start 6 months before expiry:
1. Council application (MaintenanceOS provides data export)
2. Fit and proper person declaration
3. Updated fire risk assessment
4. Current gas/EICR certificates
5. Fee payment (varies by council, typically £500–£2,000)
Penalties for Non-Compliance
- • Civil penalty: Up to £30,000 per offence
- • Rent repayment order: Up to 12 months' rent
- • Banning order: Prevents letting
- • Criminal prosecution: Unlimited fine
Next Steps
- • Fire Risk Assessments for HMOs
- • Room Size Calculator
- • Council-Specific Requirements
- • Tenant Management in HMOs
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Pre-launch documentation. Features and workflows may change before general availability.