Neighbourhood Services - Environmental Health

Houses in Multiple Occupation

What is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)?
It is accommodation shared by several people who share facilities such as a bathroom, toilet or kitchen.

By law an HMO must be licensed if it is the main residence of 3 or more people who are not all members of the same family or of one or other of two families.

To Tenants :

• Do you live in a house in multiple occupation?
  Illegal, unlicensed accommodation may not meet the Council's safety standards and residents may be at risk.
• Have you any concerns regarding the following?

o Fire Safety
o Gas/Electricity Safety
o Facilities
o Standard of Repair
o Overcrowding
o Tenancy Issues

• Have you checked the licensing status of your accommodation with your landlord?

To Landlords

• Do you own and / or operate premises which require a licence?
  Landlords who continue to operate HMOs without a licence are committing an offence and render themselves liable to prosecution and a fine of up to £5,000.
  Council officers have powers to enter and search premises they suspect are being operated as an HMO.
• Are your premises up to standard?
• Have you upgraded the means of escape?
• Have you addressed gas and electrical safety issues?
• Are your premises clean and well maintained?
• Do you fulfil your common property responsibilities?
• Do your premises have a legitimised planning status?
  

For further advice regarding the licensing scheme, the relevant standards or if you wish a licence application pack, please contact us.

To Neighbours :

• Are there any multi occupancy houses in your neighbourhood?
  Where a licensing application has been submitted, a public notice requires to be displayed for 21 days, where it can be easily read, at or near the premises. You are entitled to object to an application, stating the grounds of your objection.
• Do you believe that unlicensed HMOs are being operated in your neighbourhood? or
• Are you experiencing nuisance conditions arising from or associated with HMOs?
  

HMO Examples

• Flats or houses occupied by unrelated people that are used as their main residence.
• Bed-sits from houses that have been subdivided to supply separate accommodation along with shared facilities such as kitchen, toilet or bathroom.
• Hostels and Lodging Houses or other large communal accommodation such as nurses or student accommodation.
• Bed and Breakfast accommodation or hotels where it is used as a main residence.
• Lodgings or Boarding accommodation with the owner in residence where the lodger is not part of the owners family.

Why License an HMO?
HMOs need to be licensed to ensure the accommodation is safe and meets certain standards. It is the owner of the property who must apply for the licence.

The standards that must be met are Physical standards and Tenancy Management standards. Some of the standards include fire safety, heating, space requirements and repair obligations.

Licence Standards
East Ayrshire Council has adopted the Benchmark Standards in the Scottish Executive booklet Guidance on Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation for its’ assessment of properties. Advice on these standards can be given from East Ayrshire Council.

For information on private renting and HMO's use the links on the right and also the Housing Section web page Housing in the private sector.

Houses in Multiple Occupation Licenses are issued via the Licensing Section and enforced by Environmental Health.

Contact Information

Leigh Richardson
HMO Implementation Officer
Environmental Health
Western Road
Kilmarnock
KA3 1LL

Tel. 01563 554056
Tel. Alt. 01563 554022
Fax 01563 554040
Email:- Leigh.Richardson@east-ayrshire.gov.uk