Use this page to find out about the different types of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licences, and the Mandatory and Additional licensing rules and requirements for HMOs.
Mandatory licences
You need a Mandatory HMO Licence for your property if the following details apply:
- it is occupied by 5 or more people
- those tenants form more than 1 household
- some or all tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities
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.
Mandatory Licensing covers the whole of Bath and North East Somerset. Mandatory Licensed properties do not need an Additional Licence.
Additional licences
We operate an additional licensing scheme in Bath.
You will need to apply for an Additional HMO Licence for your property if the following details apply:
- it is located within the boundary of the City of Bath
- it is occupied by 3 or 4 people
- those tenants form more than 1 household
- some or all tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities
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.
The current Additional licensing scheme expires on 31 December 2023.
Before we can approve a new scheme, we will need to carry out a consultation on any proposed new Additional HMO Licensing Scheme. We will update this page as soon as we know if this will or will not happen.
HMO licensing exemptions
You will not need a Mandatory 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.
If the property is located within the additional licensing area, you would still require an additional licence, unless students occupy it and you or your company has signed up to one of the 3 approved codes of practice:
- The Universities UK/Guild HE Code of Practice for the Management of Student Housing
- The ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for Student Accommodation Managed and Controlled by Educational Establishments
- The ANUK/Unipol Code of Standards for Larger Developments for Student Accommodation NOT Managed and Controlled by Educational Establishments
Additional Licences are not required for buildings converted entirely into self-contained flats, although the individual flats may be licensable in their own right.