HMO Landlord Compliance Checklist London 2025 — Everything You Need

HMO Compliance in London — The Four Frameworks

HMOs in London must comply with requirements from four overlapping regulatory frameworks: HMO licensing (Housing Act 2004), fire safety (Fire Safety Order 2005, Housing (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018), gas safety (Gas Safety Regulations 1998), and electrical safety (Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020). Here is a comprehensive checklist.

HMO Licensing

• ☐ Mandatory HMO licence obtained — required for any HMO with 5 or more occupants in two or more households. Application through the local borough council.
• ☐ Additional licensing check — many London boroughs extend licensing to smaller HMOs (3-4 occupants). Check your specific borough's additional licensing scheme: Hackney, Newham, Waltham Forest, Barking and Dagenham, Haringey, Brent all have borough-wide additional licensing.
• ☐ Selective licensing check — some London boroughs require all private rented properties (not just HMOs) to be licensed. Check current schemes at your borough's website.
• ☐ Licence conditions file — keep a copy of your licence and all its conditions. The licence conditions will specify inspection timescales, required documentation, and specific amenity requirements.

Fire Safety

• ☐ Fire risk assessment — mandatory for all HMOs. Must be carried out by a "responsible person" — for landlords this means a competent person, typically a fire risk assessor (£150-300). Review annually and after any physical changes.
• ☐ Interlinked smoke alarm system — most London borough HMO licence conditions require Grade D, Category LD2 interlinked mains-wired smoke alarms (with battery backup) in all circulation areas, bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms.
• ☐ Heat alarm in kitchen — smoke alarms are not suitable in kitchens (cooking causes false alarms). A heat alarm (BS 5839) is required in the kitchen.
• ☐ Carbon monoxide alarms — required in every room with a combustion appliance. See our CO alarm requirements guide.
• ☐ Fire doors — HMOs with three or more storeys require FD30 fire doors on all habitable rooms. Many London boroughs require this in all HMOs. Door closers must be fitted and working.
• ☐ Emergency lighting — required in all HMOs of three or more storeys.
• ☐ Means of escape — all habitable rooms must have adequate means of escape in case of fire. Upper-floor rooms must not have the only escape route passing through a single staircase without protected lobby.

Gas and Electrical

• ☐ Annual Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — given to each tenant within 28 days of issue; record kept for 2 years.
• ☐ Annual boiler service — retain service records.
• ☐ Annual PAT testing — all landlord-supplied electrical appliances tested annually.
• ☐ EICR at every change of tenancy — or at least every 5 years for HMOs. Borough licence conditions often require more frequent testing.

Amenity Standards

• ☐ Minimum room sizes: Bedroom for one person over 10: minimum 6.51 m². For two people: minimum 10.22 m². Under 4.64 m² must not be used as sleeping accommodation.
• ☐ Adequate bathroom facilities: One bathroom and WC per 4-5 occupants (varies by borough).
• ☐ Adequate kitchen facilities: One cooking facility (hob rings) per 4-5 occupants. Sufficient fridge, freezer and storage.