HMO Checklist

This checklist should prove useful in preparing your HMO property for the market. We can provide assistance in obtaining property certificates and preparing your property for the market where necessary.

Your property will require a HMO licence if;

• five or more tenants live in the property and
• these tenants are split into two or more unrelated ‘households’
• these tenants share facilities such as a bathroom and/or kitchen

A new licence condition also introduces minimum bedroom sizes for HMO properties;

• for a child under 10 years of age - 4.64m²
• for any single person over 10 years of age - 6.51m²
• for two people - 10.22m²

Certificates/Safety Requirements

Non-Licensable HMO

• Energy performance certificate (EPC)
• Gas safety certificate (GSC)
• Electrical installation condition report (EICR)
• Smoke alarms (one per habitable floor)
• CO detectors (in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance)
• Selective landlord licence from local authority (if local authority run such a scheme, not required if property requires a HMO licence)

Licensable HMO

In addition to the above;

• HMO licence from local authority
• If there are more than 6 bedrooms, planning permission is required in addition to the HMO licence
• Portable appliance test certificate (PAT)
• Fire alarm installation/service certificate
• Emergency lighting installation/service certificate
• Fire risk assessment

Property

• Fully furnished (we highly recommend some soft furnishings for at least the initial viewings stage. For example, bedding, decorative accessories, place settings, etc)
• Window coverings (blinds or curtains) to at least all bedrooms but ideally all rooms
• Bedroom door numbers present
• All final exit doors to have internal thumbturn locks
• Front door keys hung in an external combination key safe
• Room keys hung in a lockable internal key cabinet
• Instructions on how to test the fire alarm and emergency lighting systems
• Wheelie bins provided and labelled with the property address (to help prevent theft)
• TV to communal area (if applicable, recommended but not essential)
• Fire blanket in the kitchen(s)
• Microwave, kettle and toaster to kitchen(s)
• Notice board erected by the main entrance door (minimum size of 120 cm x 90 cm)
• Internet connection along with details of network name and password
• Check WiFi reaches all rooms and communal areas of the property
• Cleaning contract/schedule for communal areas
• Program any heating timers/thermostats and check all radiators are working
• Check all hot water outlets are working and there are no leaks (taps, showers, etc)