...the lowdown on creating a compliant (and awesome) property.
So, you’ve got your eye on turning a house into an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)... but hold your horses - there are a few rules you need to follow to make sure you don’t get end up with a property that feels more like a sardine tin than a home, or worse, slapped with fines and then extra renovation work to pay for.
Lucky for you, we’re going to walk through the main HMO renovation rules you need to know. And trust us, you’ll want to get this right before your first tenant moves in, not after the council pays you a friendly visit.
Room Sizes: Because No One Wants to Live in a Shoebox
Let’s start with room sizes. Yes, there are actual minimum requirements, because apparently, humans need space to breathe and move. Who knew?
Bedrooms: Did you know that anywhere under 1.5m head height and ensuites don't count towards the total m² in your rooms, so make sure you take this into account in loft rooms before making your offer! Single occupancy rooms need to be at least 6.51m² but we recommend always aiming for 10.2m² to increase the quality of your rooms. If you're adding kitchenettes we'd recommend 12-14m² minimum. If you’re housing two people in a room, it’s got be at least 10.22m², but again we'd always aim to be above the minimum to avoid your tenants feeling like sardines!
Living Rooms: If you’re sharing communal spaces, they’ve gotta be a decent size. Think 10-15m² for the lounge, depending on how many people will be lounging in there, but always check your councils website as this does vary. Remember, you don’t want to create a situation where people are fighting over sofa space every night—bad vibes.
Kitchens: The kitchen’s needs to be functional and spacious enough for everyone to use without drama. For five people, you’re looking at a kitchen around 7m², but we'd argue council sizes are still a tad on the small size so would recommend more if you can. Making the kitchen part of an open plan kitchin living area is a good way to allow the space to be bigger. Basically, make sure no one’s eating their dinner while standing in the hallway, okay?
tml top tip - furnish your bedrooms with small double beds (4ft, instead of the usual 4ft 6in). They’re still comfy enough for a good night’s sleep, but not quite roomy enough for your tenant’s boyfriend or girlfriend to get too comfy staying over every weekend.
Kitchen Appliances: The More Tenants, The More Toasters
Speaking of kitchens, the more tenants you have, the more appliances you need to in the space. If you’re housing 5 or more tenants, you’re looking at needing two of the big kitchen essentials:
Two cookers - because no one wants to fight for oven time
Two fridges -one for food, one for all those forgotten leftovers
Two sinks or one sink and one dishwasher - the latter is usually expected these days, to help people actually wash up!
One washer / tumble dryer - if you have the space, get one of each as everyone says combined ones are cack!
For smaller HMOs, you might get away with one of each, but trust us - your tenants will appreciate not having to form a queue just to boil pasta.
Fire Regulations: Keep Everyone Safe (and Your HMO License Intact)
This one’s a biggie, because no one wants their property (or their tenants) going up in flames. Fire regulations for HMOs are strict for a reason, so make sure you’re compliant. Here’s the key stuff:
Fire doors on all bedrooms and communal areas, complete with those fancy self-closing hinges and firesafe door frames and hardware. Ensuites can be standard.
Smoke alarms & Heat Detectors in the right spots - one on every floor and in every communal space. And yes, you need to test them regularly. No, a quick tap to check they’re still on the ceiling doesn’t count.
Fire escapes need to be clearly marked with nothing obstructing the exits.
Emergency lighting is key incase of a power outage and should be installed in escape routes, exits, shared spaces and electrical cupboards.
tml top tip - get a fire officer round before you start any renovations so you have a detailed plan to work from with no guessing if you're being compliant. This will save you time. and money!
Soundproofing: Because No One Wants to Hear Their Neighbour’s Late Night Shennanigans
HMOs can get noisy. And nothing ruins a tenant’s mood quicker than listening to their neighbour’s midnight rendition of “Wonderwall” on repeat. So, get ahead of this by making sure your property meets sound insulation standards.
Install good soundproofing between bedrooms and communal spaces, and you’ll have fewer tenant disputes to deal with (and maybe fewer headaches for you). Plus, soundproofing keeps everyone sane during exam season, breakups, or, you know, Thursday nights at 2 a.m.
Anything Else?
We can't cover everything in one blog and it's important to note that different councils can have different standards they like to see. Here are a couple of bonus tips:
Bathrooms: For every five people, you’ll need at least two toilets and two showers/baths. We do recommend, if space allows, as many ensuites as possible to future proof your investment.
Heating and Ventilation: Make sure the property stays warm in winter and cool in summer. Your tenants are paying rent, not enduring an extreme survival challenge. Additionally, maintaining good ventilation helps to keep your investment mould-free.
Waste Management: More tenants means more rubbish, so make sure your bins are up to the job. Overflowing bins = overflowing tenant complaints.
Renovating an HMO isn’t just about throwing in a few extra beds and calling it a day. From room sizes to fire regs, soundproofing to the sneaky small double bed trick, there are plenty of rules to follow. But if you get it right, you’ll have a compliant, stylish property that attracts tenants and keeps them happy (and safe) once they move in.
Got any more questions about HMO rules? Drop them in the comments - we’ll do our best to keep you out of trouble!
