An HMO, or House in Multiple Occupation, is a property rented by three or more people who are not from one household and who share a kitchen or bathroom. Almost every shared student house is an HMO. Larger HMOs need a licence from the council, and that licence comes with safety rules that protect you.
Why HMO rules make a house safer
HMO licensing is a good thing for tenants. To be licensed, a house has to meet standards that a non-licensed let might skip:
- Working smoke alarms and often fire doors and fire safety signage
- A valid annual gas safety certificate
- Safe electrics with regular inspection
- Enough bathrooms and kitchen space for the number of people living there
In short, an HMO licence means someone has checked the house is fit for a group of students to live in safely.
How to check a house is licensed
You can ask the landlord directly for the HMO licence and the gas safety certificate, and you can check with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which keeps a public register of licensed HMOs. A landlord who looks after their houses will be happy to show you. If someone dodges the question, treat that as a warning sign.
What to ask on a viewing
When you view a house, look for smoke alarms on every floor, ask where the fire escape route is, and ask to see the gas safety certificate. Renting direct from the landlord makes this easier, because you are talking to the person responsible for the house, not a call centre.
All of our shared houses are licensed HMOs with gas safety certificates, a short walk from campus. See what is available near Staffordshire University.