Apply for an HMO licence

If you own and rent out a shared house (known as a house in multiple occupation, or HMO) in Bath and North East Somerset, you may need an HMO Licence.

Use this page to:

• check if you need a licence
• apply and pay for your licence
• learn about the regulations which apply while your licence is current
• find out if you also need planning permission before you can turn a property into an HMO

Check if you need a licence

Eligibility

You need an HMO Licence for your property if all of the following apply:

• It is occupied by 5 or more people.
• Those tenants form more than 1 household (A family or single household can consist of: husband, wife, co-habitee, child, step-child, foster-child, grandchild, parent, step-parent, foster-parent, grandparent, brother, half-brother, sister, half-sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousins.).
• Some or all tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.

Exemptions

You will not need an HMO licence if you own a flat that is occupied by 5 or more people and is situated in a purpose-built block comprising 3 or more self-contained flats.

The application process

Select a topic below to guide you through application and payment for your licence.

Before you apply

Before you start your application, collect the following documents and information, which you'll need to submit as part of your application:

• Floor plans for the property
• Basic DBS certificates for all proposed licence holders, dated within 3 years
• A fit and proper person declaration for all proposed licence holders - company form and individual form
• If using a separate manager, a DBS certificate and fit and proper person declaration for the manager, dated within 3 years
• A current gas safety certificate
• A satisfactory Electrical Installation Condition Report, dated within 5 years
• An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

You will also need to include information on all property owners, including any mortgages including roll numbers, any freeholders, any leaseholders and any charges on the property.

You need to submit a floor plan with all new applications, where the layout has changed on renewal, or if you request a variation to the licence.

Read more about how to submit floor plans

You must include the following details on your floor plan:

• Address of the property
• Floor level i.e ground, first, second
• All rooms and their use i.e kitchen, bedroom
• Location of stairs and doors
• All fire precautions currently with the property i.e fire blanket, fire doors, heat and smoke detectors
• Size of rooms (m2), not including hallways, WCs and bathrooms
• Number of occupants per bedroom

We will accept hand-drawn plans, as long as the information you provide is clear. Please do not upload any architectural plans, we may reject these.

View an example floor plan.

Fee payment, discounts and refunds

Licence fee

A new HMO licence costs £1,025.

You can pay in full when you submit your application, or split the fee into two payments: 

Part 1 (£620) is payable when submitting the application online, and covers the cost of processing the application, up to approval.

Part 2 (the remaining balance) becomes payable after the licence has been approved, and covers the cost of issuing the licence and follow up enforcement of the scheme.

You can pay using most credit and debit cards. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept American Express. Find details on our application form.

Discounts

We will apply a £50 discount to your licence if you meet all of the following conditions:

• Your fully completed application is submitted through our online application form
• All of the correct, valid supporting documents are uploaded with the application
• The proposed licence holder and any managers agree to receive licences and any other relevant documents via email

Refunds

If you decide to withdraw your application, you may receive a refund. The amount of money you get back will depend on the stage of your application:

HMO licence refunds

Application withdrawal stage	Licence fee refund
Withdrawn before processing and acknowledgement	Any fees already paid
Withdrawn or refused after processing but before a property inspection	£340 of Part 1 fee will be refunded, and Part 2, if paid
Withdrawn or refused after processing and property inspection	Part 2, if paid
After a final HMO licence is issued	No refund available

Licence duration, and why we might revoke it

An HMO licence usually lasts for 5 years, though we may reduce the duration of the licence if we feel a shorter duration is appropriate.

If you sell the property, you cannot transfer the licence to the new owner. They must make a new application. We will revoke your licence when you inform us about a property sale, or if the property is no longer licensable.

We may also decide to revoke your licence if we no longer consider you to be a fit and proper person. You would have to make representations against this and may appeal to the Residential Property Tribunal.

When to apply

The date when the property becomes licensable is when the 5th person moves in. You should apply for a licence then, but we would accept an HMO application up to a month before that date. 

If you are buying a licensable HMO with tenants currently living in the property, the licensable date would be the completion date of sale.

Warning Do not apply for a licence more than one month before the property becomes licensable. If you submit your application too early, we may refuse this and you will only receive a partial refund. 

How to apply

You can submit an application using our Idox online form. We recommend that you register for your Idox ID before applying for a licence. This will allow you to save as you go and return to your unfinished application anytime you wish.

 

How to create an Idox account or return to a saved application

First, you need to click the Apply for an HMO licence button below. To register, click Log in to save on the application page.

On the next page, click Register for an Idox ID.

You will receive a confirmation email once you complete the registration. Please ensure you follow the instructions in the email before logging back in to start your online application. Make sure to make a note of your Username and keep it safe for future applications.

Return to saved applications

You can exit the application at any time by closing your browser. When you next log in, please note it will say ‘Saved as Draft’ in the top left-hand corner of your application; if it does not say that, you have not logged in after registering.

Return to a saved application

Please read our application guidance notes, which will help you to complete your renewal application.

Return to saved applications

Read the HMO Licensing Privacy Notice

What happens next

Once you have submitted an application, you will receive a confirmation email from Idox with a DSFX number and a PDF copy of the application attached. This is your evidence of submission and you should keep it in a safe place.

You do not need to contact us to check that we have received your application. We will aim to contact you within 10 working days, though this can take longer during busy periods.

If you have not received a confirmation email, then you may not have submitted an application and you should check your Idox account and draft submissions.

Rules and regulations while you hold your licence

Select a topic below to find out more about regulations and conditions which will apply to your HMO licence.

Licence terms and conditions

The licence contains both mandatory conditions and council-imposed conditions. Please read these carefully, as failure to comply with conditions is an offence and you may be prosecuted.

If we ask you to carry out works at the property, you must complete these in the time specified on the licence.

Public register

It is a legal requirement for the name and address of the licence holder to be made available on a public register, together with details of any manager and information about the licence, such as the permitted number of occupants.

View the public register

Variations to a licence

If you decide to alter the layout, change the maximum number of occupants or change the management arrangements of the HMO, you must tell us, and apply for a variation to your licence.

We will ensure that the standards are met and the new circumstances are represented on the licence.

You cannot vary a licence to change a licence holder. The new licence holder needs to make a new application. 

Inspections

We will inspect the property at least once during the 5-year licence period.

We will carry out a risk assessment of any hazards that exist at the property, under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), and you will need to carry out any necessary remedial work. We will also assess the property to see if you are complying with the licence conditions and the management regulations.

You should ensure that gas appliances and your fire detection system are regularly serviced, and a report on the electrical installation is carried out every 5 years, fixing any code 1 and 2 defects. You need to produce all relevant certificates at the inspection.

Where agents are involved in the management of the HMO, we will inform both the agent and the licence holder of the date and time of inspection. You must decide who will provide access to the inspecting officer.

Missed inspection charge

If one of our inspecting officers is unable to gain entry to a property to carry out an inspection, this will be classed as a missed inspection and we will charge the licence holder £50.

HMOs and planning permission

In the city of Bath, and for some properties in the surrounding area, you will also need planning permission to convert a  single-family home into an HMO. We recommend you contact our Pre-application Advice and Development Team for help with any necessary planning application.

Warning Planning permission and an HMO licence are separate applications. The granting of an HMO licence does not confirm that you have the correct planning permission to use the property as an HMO.