Standard regulations
The Standards Regulations are there to ensure all HMOs meet a minimum standard of fitness and safety for all who live or visit the premises. Members of the Environmental Health Team will visit your premises and help guide you through the Regulations. The following sections outline the main requirements applicable to all HMOs:
Maximum Permitted Occupancy and Minimum Space Standards.
Space standards for HMOs can be found in Schedule 1 of the Standards Regulations.
Minimum Occupancy depends entirely on the number and size of the bedrooms and the basic facilities available in the HMO. For example, no more than 2 people can share a bedroom and nobody can be forced to share a bedroom. For 2 people to satisfactorily occupy a shared room their bedroom must be at least 10.5m2.
The occupancy levels can be seen in the following table.
|
Number of occupants |
Minimum Bedroom sizes |
|---|---|
|
1 person Room |
8.5m2 |
|
2 person Room |
10.5m2 |
Standards are also specified for the shared facilities within the HMO. Occupants must have access to a proper bath/shower room and toilet, suitably equipped kitchen and communal living / dining rooms, which are no more than 2 floors away from their bedroom. Therefore the number of shared facilities, their size and location will ultimately determine the overall occupancy figure.
|
|
Kitchen |
Communal room Lounge/dining room |
|---|---|---|
|
6 persons |
7m2 |
11m2 |
|
Each additional person |
+0.5m2 |
+1.5m2 |
|
Communal rooms which contain a kitchen must be a minimum of 18m2 for 6 people and 2m2 for each additional person. |
||
Installations in common use
The owner must ensure all installations are maintained in a good state of repair. Suitable arrangements must be put in place for the periodic inspection of gas, electrical and oil installations by competent persons, see Regulation 8. Heating, ventilation and lighting systems and other equipment for common use (e.g. toilets, showers, ovens, washing machines and dryers, etc.) must also be inspected and maintained.
The owner must keep suitable records of these periodic inspections and any records of works completed for a minimum of five years. Copies of certificates and inspection records may be required for inspection by Environmental Health at any time and should be submitted with your application.
Repair and Safety in HMOs
The owner of a HMO must ensure the premises is structurally sound and building and common areas are maintained in a safe condition, good state of repair and free from damp. Stairs, doors and common internal and external walkways must be kept free from obstruction at all times. The owner must also fully comply with fire safety standards applicable to the property. For more information, see Fire Safety Guidance and Building Control.
Duty to Display Notices
The owner must ensure the following information is on display for all to see in a prominent position in a common area (e.g. entrance hall):
- Emergency contact details (including phone number) of landlord, management agent or supervisor
- Fire safety information
- An in-date copy of your Public Liability Insurance Certificate
- A copy of the HMO registration certificate
Light, ventilation and insulation
Every habitable room must be provided with sufficient direct natural light, adequate ventilation and thermal insulation.
There must be sufficient means of artificial lighting to all accessible areas of the building.
Every kitchen must be provided with adequate light and ventilation.
Every bathroom and every room containing a toilet must be provided with adequate light and ventilation.
Washing and drying of clothes
Facilities for the washing and drying of clothes must be made available for the exclusive use of the occupants. This would include washing machines and dryers or washer-dryers. As a guide one washing machine and dryer or a washer-dryer should be provided for every 6 people.
Washing facilities can be located in the kitchen areas or another suitable room for washing and drying clothing. This room must have sufficient lighting and adequate ventilation as well as suitable connection points for washing machines and drainage.
Heating
Every habitable room, kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms must be provided with adequate means of heating. Heating must be controllable and programmable. If central heating, heat must be available at all times with controls in each room (i.e. thermostatic control valves). Alternatively individual fixed programmable and controllable electrical heaters could be used in each bedroom and communal kitchen and living room/dining room.
Bathroom and toilets
Integral bathrooms must contain adequate and suitably located bath or shower facilities with hot and cold water supply and properly connected to the drainage system. Suitably located toilets and wash hand basins must be provided, properly connected to the drainage system.
The number and location of facilities will depend on the occupancy figure and travel distance from each bedroom.
Kitchen Facilities
Each kitchen must be provided with adequate washing facilities with a hot and cold water supply.
Adequate and suitably located cooking and food storage facilities must be provided. As guidance, a four ringed hob with oven for every multiple of six people, at least one kitchen unit for each occupant and a minimum of one reasonably sized fridge-freezer for every six people.
Waste Storage
HMOs must be provided with readily accessible and suitably constructed and located receptacles for the storage of refuse (for example, wheelie bins in a secure external area accessible to all occupants). Arrangements must be made with the Local Authority for the regular disposal of waste.
Additional storage facilities
Reasonable storage facilities for such items as baby carriages and bicycles must be provided. This could be a ground floor room or a covered and secure external space (e.g. rear yard, garden). Means of escape must never be compromised.
