Have your say on our proposals to introduce additional licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation

Lambeth Council wants to hear your views on its licensing proposals for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The consultation runs from 18 December 2020 until 12 March 2021. You can share your views by completing our online survey.

Open date: Friday, 18 December 2020 at 9.00am Close date: Friday, 12 March 2021 at 11.59pm Type: Consultation Neighbourhood: Lambeth wide Category:
  • Housing

Please note this consultation is closed

Building on our commitment to ensure safe, secure and properly maintained homes for tenants, Lambeth Council wants to hear your views on its licensing proposals for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The consultation runs from 18 December 2020 until 12 March 2021

A house in multiple occupation(HMO) is either, a home occupied by three or more people in more than two households, (e.g. rooms for rent, shared houses, bedsits, etc) or,  an older or poorly converted building containing flats, where a third or more of the flats are rented out.

HMO licensing helps to ensure that housing meets legal health and safety standards, is well run and provides at least a basic range of facilities which tenants can expect. Lambeth is legally obliged to licence HMOs that are three storeys or more with five or more residents including HMOs divided into two or more households. 

The new proposals would see licensing for all HMOs across the whole borough, helping us work with landlords to drive up standards and improve both the quality and management of the accommodation. If introduced, the move would expand our HMO landlord licensing scheme and increase the number of HMOs covered.

The aim is to ensure that tenants living in a licensed HMO can rent with confidence knowing that their property has been properly inspected and licensed by the council. Landlords also benefit as they can advertise a certified property which is clearly managed in a responsible manner and meets legal standards. 

To ensure that as many people and organisations as possible have the opportunity to comment on our proposals, a range of methods is being used to draw attention to the plans and to provide people and organisations with the opportunity to comment on them. This will help inform our decision-making process as to whether a scheme is appropriate to introduce for Lambeth. 

Futher information on our proposals can be seen in the Licensing Consultation Document

Your views on the proposed licensing scheme, whether as a landlord, manager, freeholder, leaseholder, tenant, neighbour or local business are needed.

Once the consultation has closed, responses will be analysed and report taken to Cabinet setting out recommendations as to whether a scheme should proceed. If a decision is taken to proceed with the licensing scheme it is likely to be put in place in April 2022.

How to respond

Complete our survey 

Complete our survey below to respond, alternatively, you can give your comments by email to: HMOLicensing@lambeth.gov.uk