Home / Glossary / HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)
What is HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)?
An HMO, or house in multiple occupation, is a property let to three or more people who form more than one household and share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom.
Why it matters to landlords
HMOs come with extra management duties, such as fire safety measures, keeping common areas in repair and displaying the manager's contact details. Many need a licence from the council.
A household means a family or a couple, so three unrelated sharers is an HMO, while a family of five is not.
Council tax, bills and fire safety are also handled differently in many HMOs, so check the council's guidance before you let rooms individually.