The unlicensed HMO that cost a landlord £20,000
6 months ago | 3 comments
Help with refused HMO licence?
12:01 AM, 12th November 2025, 5 months ago
4
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Hi, I have a property in County Durham with a previously granted HMO licence to a leaseholder on a corporate lease. I paid for it, but it was granted to the leaseholder as they managed the property. The leaseholder exited the lease a few months ago and the HMO licence was revoked.
I have now let the property via a letting agent as individual bedroom tenants. Once we reached 3 tenants, I applied for a new HMO licence, but the licensing officer called me and said they would refuse to grant it because tenants had separate ASTs, don’t know each other and don’t pay bills together.
Apparently, they are supposed to be a group of friends or colleagues or students now for a HMO licence to be granted? Do you have any ideas on how to get this HMO licence granted?
I have the second inspection scheduled to measure bedroom sizes. These were already inspected and measured a month ago.
Does anyone have any tips on how to proceed?
Thank you!
Al
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Previous Article
Have you got your landlord licences in order?
Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 35
10:04 AM, 12th November 2025, About 5 months ago
Have you viewed their rules. These may be online. If not, I’d be asking for a copy of them rules, so you can check what you are being told.
If there is an Article 4 directive in force, you may be tied into their rules, as its their option if they consent.
Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 1171
12:15 PM, 12th November 2025, About 5 months ago
What do you mean by “I have a property”? If you are not the leaseholder are you a tenant sub-letting the place?
I think you may have misunderstood the reason for the refusal. HMO licences cover both single tenancy HMOs and room let HMOs, but you have to be clear what you’re applying for.
Member Since May 2016 - Comments: 1571 - Articles: 16
12:17 PM, 12th November 2025, About 5 months ago
If ‘ Al ‘ would like to contact us, we’ll look into it initially on an pro bono advice basis.
Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 198
4:37 PM, 15th November 2025, About 5 months ago
Sounds like the officer is way off base and doesn’t understand the law, but perhaps you filled in a part of the application form in a way they don’t expect when rooms are let individually. If they have not sent a Schedule 5 notice of intent and are coming back to measure rooms again then the decision has not yet been finalised. As/when you receive a Schedule 5 notice of intent to refuse the licence application, or a one granting it with conditions you don’t agree with, you will be given a set amount of time to make written representations. I advise engaging a professional property consultant to help draft that and to deal with the council on your behalf, also local landlords associations as well as letting/managing agents are a great source of knowledge and experience. If your representations are not accepted, and the application refused or granted with unacceptable conditions, you will have 28 days to appeal to First-tier Tribunal. fees are about £336, and again, as you are inexperienced do get professional help. As others have indicated, you should check the council website for any local standards document they have published that exceed the national requirements. Local standards are discretionary and should not be applied too strictly, with professional support you have a decent chance of winning at FTT if that’s the council’s basis so long as national requirements are met.