HMO Amenity Standards

National Minimum Amenity Standards

HMO Property amenity standards, are the number and type of amenities that must be provided in all Houses of Multiple Occupation in accordance with the size and type of HMO property. If the correct amenities are not present, a condition will be included in the licences requiring that they are provided within a set time limit (maximum 5 years).

Heating

1. Each unit of living accommodation in an HMO must be equipped with adequate means of space heating.

Washing Facilities

1. All baths, showers and wash hand basins in an HMO must be equipped with taps providing an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water.
2. All bathrooms in an HMO must be suitably and adequately heated and ventilated.
3. All bathrooms and toilets in an HMO must be of adequate size and layout.
4. All baths, toilets and wash hand basins in an HMO must be fit for the purpose.
5. All bathrooms and toilets in an HMO must be suitably located either in the living accommodation itself. Alternatively, so long as they are suitably located in relation to where the living accommodation is located in the HMO this suffices.
6. An adequate number of toilets, bathrooms and wash hand basins for the number of people living in the property.
7. Where reasonably practicable there must be a wash hand basin with appropriate splashback in each unit other than a unit in which a sink has been provided as part of the kitchen facilities in the same room. This requirement should consider the character of the property, it’s age and size, as well as other washing facilities in the property.

Bedrooms

The Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government have published the expected regulations confirming that from 1 October 2018 HMOs licensed in England under part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 will be required to have a floor area no-smaller than 6.51 square metres.  

Licenses issued from 1 October will have to contain the following conditions:

1. to ensure that the floor area of any room in the HMO used as sleeping accommodation by one person aged over 10 years is not less than 6.51 square metres;
2. to ensure that the floor area of any room in the HMO used as sleeping accommodation by two persons aged over 10 years is not less than 10.22 square metres;
3. to ensure that the floor area of any room in the HMO used as sleeping accommodation by one person aged under 10 years is not less than 4.64 square metres;
4. to ensure that any room in the HMO with a floor area of less than 4.64 square metres is not used as sleeping accommodation.

Shared Kitchens

1. Where any of the units of accommodation within the HMO does not contain its own facilities for the cooking of food:
   • there must be a kitchen, suitably located in relation to the living accommodation
   • the kitchen must have a layout and be of a size and be equipped with such facilities as adequately enable those sharing the facilities to store, prepare and cook food;
   • the kitchen must be equipped with the following equipment.
   • Sinks with draining boards;
   • An adequate supply of cold and constant hot water to each sink (iii) installations or equipment for the cooking of food (i.e. cookers);
   • Electrical sockets;
   • Worktops for the preparation of food;
   • Cupboards for the storage of food or kitchen and cooking utensils;
   • Refrigerators with an adequate freezer compartment (or, where the freezer compartment is not adequate, adequate separate freezers);
   • Appropriate refuse disposal facilities; and
   • Appropriate extractor fans,
   • Fire blankets
   • Fire doors to the kitchen

This equipment must be fit for the purpose and supplied in a sufficient quantity for the number of those sharing the facilities.

Individual Kitchens (within units of accommodation)

1. Where there is a kitchen within the unit, the unit must be provided with:
   • adequate appliances and equipment for the cooking of food;
   • a sink with an adequate supply of cold and constant hot water;
   • a worktop for the preparation of food
   • sufficient electrical sockets;
   • a cupboard for the storage of kitchen utensils and crockery; and
   • a refrigerator.

Note: This applies where a unit of living accommodation contains kitchen facilities for the exclusive use of the individual household, and there are no other kitchen facilities available for that household.

Individual Bathroom/Toilet Facilities

1. When a unit has its own bath/toilet facilities it must have an enclosed and adequately laid out and a ventilated room with a toilet and bath or fixed shower. Adequate cold and constant hot water must be provided. These facilities must be for the exclusive use of the occupiers of that unit either;
   • within the living accommodation or
   • within reasonable proximity to the living accommodation.

Fire Precautions

It should be noted that local authorities can require a higher level of amenity provided.

Note: These minimum standards do not apply to Selective Licensing

The local authority will often publish its own guidance amplifying their requirements or even imposing more stringent standards. You should check with the relevant local authority regarding any such local guidance.