Legal Obligations for Landlords to consider when renting a property as a HMO
There over 150 laws that landlords have to consider and adhere to when letting a HMO property, so all in all, quite a bit to think about and remember!
All local authorities have slightly different rules, however the following is usually relevant;-
- All potential HMO Landlords must register with their local authority and apply for a HMO licence
- Space and facilities in the property must meet minimum standards
- Occupancy must be maintained at an acceptable level as defined in the HMO licence for the property
- The following Safety checks must be carried out by adequately qualified contractors;-
- Gas Safety (annually)
- PAT Testing (annually)
- Fire Alarm, Fire Extinguisher and Emergency Lighting checks (annually)
- Fire Risk Assessment (annually)
- Electrical Installation Certificate Report (every five years)
- EPC (every ten years)
- The local authority must be kept up to date and provided with the following;-
- Details of residents and changes in occupancy
- All safety certificates must be sent upon the previous certificates expiry
- A responsible person must manage the property and ensure that their contact details and any emergency numbers are prominently displayed on the premises at all times so that the property manager can be contacted in case of emergency
- Smoke alarms, Heat Alarms and Carbon Monoxide alarms must be compliant (and battery operated alarms are often not acceptable). These must be tested monthly and records kept.
- HMO Landlords must ensure that there is the correct number of refuse bins for the number of tenants in the property to use
- Landlords must use the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to ensure that the property is safe at all times for tenants