HMO requirements – what is the minimum bedroom size in the UK?

What’s the minimum bedroom size for HMO properties?

A large HMO is a property that’s let to five or more tenants from more than one household. In this type of property some or all of the tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities, and at least one tenant pays rent.

If you let a large HMO, it will need a licence. In 2018, mandatory HMO licensing was extended to cover properties of all sizes, and not just those with three or more storeys. At the same time, a minimum size for a bedroom and limits on overcrowding were introduced.

The minimum bedroom sizes for licensed HMOs are as follows:

Bedroom occupant	Minimum bedroom size
One person over 10	6.51 sq metres (70 sq feet)
Two people over 10	10.22 sq metres (110 sq ft)
One child under 10	4.64 sq metres (49 sq ft)

Read more: A guide to HMOs for landlords

HMO room size requirements – what else do you need to know?

If any room in the HMO has a floor area of less than 4.64 square metres, you must tell your local housing authority. At the same time, you need to make sure that no room with an area of less than 4.64 square metres is used as a bedroom.

The government says that when measuring rooms you need to include the whole floor area from wall to wall where the ceiling is higher than 1.5 metres. If any part of a room has a ceiling of less than 1.5 metres, this area can’t be included in the measurement.

Overcrowding – is there a maximum number of occupants for HMOs?

HMO regulations were introduced to stop ‘opportunist rogue landlords’ exploiting vulnerable tenants with sub-standard, overcrowded homes which are potentially dangerous.

As well as extending mandatory licensing and introducing minimum bedroom sizes, the government introduced rules on the number of tenants allowed in an HMO property.

Each licence states a maximum number of people who can live in each bedroom for the following criteria:

• a bedroom used by people over 10 years old
• a bedroom used by people under 10 years old
• a bedroom used by people both over 10 years old and under 10 years old

For example, an HMO licence could state a maximum per bedroom of two tenants aged over 10 years old, three tenants aged under 10 years old, and two tenants aged both over 10 years old and under 10 years old.

HMO requirements – what properties do the rules apply to?

Any HMO that’s been given a mandatory or additional licence since 1 October 2018 must meet the minimum bedroom sizes and maximum number of occupants.

If your HMO property was licensed before October 2018, is licensed under a selective licensing scheme, or doesn’t need to be licensed, then you may not have to follow these rules.

However, it’s likely your local authority will have its own minimum space or maximum occupancy regulations which you’ll need to follow. 

Minimum bedroom sizes and maximum number of occupants set by local authorities are often higher than the national standards, so it’s worth checking on their website or speaking to the housing team.

Why it’s important to consider tenants’ living conditions

The above regulations include absolute minimum sizes, so even if your bedrooms don’t break the rules, they might not be suitable for tenants.

For example, a bedroom with kitchen facilities will need to be bigger than one in a large shared house with a shared kitchen. And bedrooms for adults will need to be significantly bigger than those used by children.

If your bedrooms are as big as possible and you don’t have too many tenants in one HMO, the chances of having happy tenants who stay for the long-term are higher.

A more spacious and less crowded property is also less likely to suffer from damage or serious maintenance issues.

Read more: Landlord responsibilities – a guide to property maintenance and repair

Complying with bedroom sizes and number of occupants

You could break the rules if you knowingly allow more people to live in the property than the maximum number stated on the licence, or allow people to sleep in rooms which are smaller than the minimum standard.

If you’re found to have knowingly broken the rules, you could be given up to 18 months to make changes to the property and meet the minimum standards.

It’s possible to unknowingly break the rules – for example, if a tenant is subletting without your permission and they’re overcrowding the property or not meeting minimum size standards. If something like this happens, the local authority will decide whether you’ve knowingly broken the rules.

Meanwhile, the rules aren’t affected by temporary arrangements, such as a tenant having someone to stay for a few nights.

Depending on your local authority, there could be extra rules to follow to let a compliant HMO. It’s also important to comply with the Fitness for Human Habitation Act, which was introduced in 2019.

What happens if you don’t comply with HMO requirements?

If you break minimum room size or occupancy rules, you’re breaching your HMO licence and could be prosecuted. If you’re convicted, you could be hit with an unlimited fine.

As an alternative to prosecution, your local authority could fine you up to £30,000.

Do you have any unanswered questions on minimum room sizes for HMO properties? Let us know in the comments below.

Useful guides for buy-to-let landlords

• Energy efficiency guide for landlords – what is an EPC rating?
• A landlord’s guide to right to rent checks
• How to choose a tenant – a landlord’s guide
• What do landlords need to know about the How to Rent guide?