HMO viability checker

How many of your rooms are actually lettable at the Housing Act minimum sizes — and what that means for licensing and planning. Most HMO deals fail on a room that measures smaller than it looks.

The three things that decide an HMO

Room size. The Housing Act minimums are 6.51 m² for one person and 10.22 m² for two. A room below that cannot lawfully be let as a bedroom in a licensed HMO, whatever the listing says.

Licensing. A licence is mandatory anywhere in England for five or more people forming two or more households. Many councils also run additional licensing for smaller HMOs and selective licensing covering every rental in an area — both are local, and neither appears in national data.

Change of use. Converting a house to a small HMO of up to six sharers is normally permitted development — unless an Article 4 direction has removed that right, which is common in student areas. Seven or more sharers always needs full permission, everywhere.

General information, not legal or planning advice. Room standards, licensing schemes and Article 4 directions vary by council and change — confirm with the local authority before you offer.

RFPG — Reley Fast Property Guru, a product of Reley Fast Software Ltd, company number 16002149, registered in England and Wales.

HMO viability checker

The bit this cannot tell you

The three things that decide an HMO