Licensing requirements

Houses in multiple occupation

Houses in multiple occupation are usually properties where three or more unrelated people share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom.

Some houses in multiple occupation must be licensed. Check that your landlord has the correct licence. There are extra requirements for landlords of houses in multiple occupation whether they need a licence or not. Go to GOV.UK/private-renting/houses-in-multipleoccupation for more information.

Selective licensing

Some single-family dwellings may also need to be licensed. Check with your local council whether the house is within a selective licensing scheme area. Selective licensing requires all landlords of privately rented housing in a designated area to obtain a licence for each individual property. It gives the local council powers to inspect properties and enforce standards to address specific property issues.