7 April 2026
HMO Tenancy UK: A Complete Guide for International Students
What is an HMO? What are your rights? What must landlords provide? Everything international students need to know about renting in a House in Multiple Occupation.
What is an HMO?
A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a property rented by at least 3 tenants who are not from the same household โ typically a shared house or flat where tenants have individual bedrooms but share common areas like kitchens and bathrooms. Most student houses are HMOs.
Does your HMO need a licence?
Any HMO with 5 or more tenants from 2 or more households must have a mandatory HMO licence from the local council. Many councils also operate additional licensing schemes covering smaller HMOs. Your landlord must display the licence in the property. If they do not have one, they are breaking the law and you may be able to claim back up to 12 months rent.
What safety standards must your HMO meet?
HMO landlords must provide: working smoke alarms on every floor, a carbon monoxide detector in every room with a solid fuel appliance, adequate fire escape routes, fire doors where required, annual gas safety certificates, and regular electrical safety inspections. These are legal requirements, not optional.
Space and overcrowding standards
There are minimum room size requirements in licensed HMOs. A room used as sleeping accommodation for one adult must be at least 6.51 square metres. Rooms below 4.64 square metres cannot be used for sleeping. If your room is too small, your council can take action against your landlord.
Your individual tenancy agreement
In an HMO you will either have a joint tenancy (all tenants sign one agreement and are jointly liable) or individual tenancies (each tenant has their own agreement). Individual tenancies are generally better for students as you are only responsible for your own room and share of bills.
Use RentalSafe UK to check your HMO contract
HMO contracts are often complex with multiple clauses about shared responsibilities. RentalSafe UK analyses your contract and flags any unfair clauses, checks whether HMO-specific legal requirements are met, and gives you negotiation advice specific to shared houses.
Protect yourself before you sign
RentalSafe UK analyses your tenancy agreement with AI โ identifying red flags, verifying your landlord, and giving you negotiation scripts. From ยฃ29.
Get Your Report โ