Multiple occupancy home licences

Important changes to HMO licensing legislation came into effect across England on 1 October 2018

Be active and don’t ignore this new law

From 1 October 2018, all houses in multiple occupation (HMO) with five or more tenants, forming more than one household, must have a council granted HMO licence, regardless of the height of the building.

Previous licensing only applied to HMOs of three or more storeys.

Failing to obtain a licence is a criminal offence that may result in prosecution, or being issued with a fixed penalty of up to £30,000.

If you are the landlord of a HMO that is yet to be licensed, please contact the housing regulation team, either by emailing privatesectorhousing@slough.gov.uk or by calling 01753 875431 to register and make an application.

More information about HMO licensing can be found on the gov.uk website.

Houses in multiple occupation

Your home is a house in multiple occupation (HMO) if both of the following apply:

• at least five tenants live there, forming more than one household
• you share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants.
  

A household is either a single person or members of the same family who live together. A family includes people who are:

• married or living together - including people in same-sex relationships
• relatives or half-relatives, for example grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings
• step-parents and step-children.

Applying for a licence

Anyone who owns or manages a HMO that meets the above criteria must apply to the council for a licence. Instructions and advice on how to apply can be found in the attached application pack.

• HMO licence application pack
• HMO licence application form

Licence fees

A HMO licensing fee is £950 (£650 for processing and £300 for enforcement).

Properties with more than seven bedrooms will incur a fee of £30 per additional room.   

Exemptions

• Properties occupied by the owner (and their family, if any) and one lodger.
• Properties occupied by a recognised religious community.
• Properties whose occupiers have their main residence elsewhere*.
• Properties whose owner or manager is a public body / an educational institution such as a boarding school or university.
• Converted buildings of self-contained flats if two thirds or more of the flats are owner-occupied.
  

*Accommodation used by full-time students while they are studying is taken to be their main residence.

Contact Housing Regulation Team

Telephone: 01753 475111 (option 3)
Email: Privatesectorhousing@slough.gov.uk or
Write to: Housing Regulation Team, Hawker House, Heathrow Business Park, Heron Drive, Langley, Slough, SL3 8XP.