How many lodgers are allowed before HMO registration becomes necessary?

How many lodgers are allowed before HMO registration becomes necessary?

0:02 AM, 21st July 2023, About 10 months ago 13

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Hello, my London Borough is keen on licensing all HMOs.

I live in a four-bedroom (now four-bathroom) house on my own; there are two living rooms and a year-round conservatory but only one shared kitchen.

The local authority has said in the past that I don’t need to be registered if I have two lodgers (and a third if related to me). I have been approached by a previous lodger who’d like to move in with his (unmarried) partner. If I gave just one of my lodgers notice, do members feel that these two would be treated as one household with one additional lodger? Or would they do a head count and decide the house should be registered?

I don’t mind going on courses but adding door closers etc to the original Edwardian doors would destroy the character of the house. As I have no mortgage, I am not worried about the income I just want agreeable people to live with!

Thanks,

Richard


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Comments

Tessa Shepperson

8:58 AM, 22nd July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tessa Shepperson at 22/07/2023 - 08:31
Sorry that should read "The rules about how many people will form an HMO are different if they are lodgers who live with the property owner." I didn't pick it up in time to amend!

Chris Rattew

10:50 AM, 22nd July 2023, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tessa Shepperson at 22/07/2023 - 08:31
The schedule is 6(1)Any building which is occupied only by persons within the following paragraphs—
(a)one or more persons who have, whether in the whole or any part of it, either the freehold estate or a leasehold interest granted for a term of more than 21 years;

(b)any member of the household of such a person or persons;

(c)no more than such number of other persons as is specified for the purposes of this paragraph in regulations made by the appropriate national authority.

In our home, where we let 3 rooms, we, as owners, were counted in the 5 people required for needing a licence. On that basis, a family of four letting one room would need a licence

Karen Dodd

11:31 AM, 9th August 2023, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by RoseD at 21/07/2023 - 21:43
I could be wrong but I think it depends on each individual council to set their own rules?

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