Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) can offer good quality affordable accommodation to people who cannot afford to buy their own homes and are not eligible for council housing.

Licence and other service fees

Calculate your licence fee

Before submitting your application, please calculate your house in multiple occupation (HMO) fee using the licence fee table:

The Council offers chargeable services, such as a charge for carrying out an inspection of a proposed home to support a person immigration application to the UK. Services and charges can be withdrawn (temporarily or permanently) or other chargeable services introduced.

Other fees and HMO services

Note: all charges quoted are at 1 April 2019.

Advisory visits and inspections

We offer advisory visits to properties for prospective HMO use. An HMO advisory visit includes:

  • an initial site visit and inspection of the property
  • consultation with the London Fire Brigade
  • two site visits to ensure that works comply with the Housing Act and our standards

We also take requests for an:

  • immigration inspection under the housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which includes a report and letter to the relevant authorities
  • inspection of premises in or out of the borough, under the Housing Act or other statute, and to provide a report or letter for legal, financial enquiries or for HMO licensing confirmation status.
  • immigration inspection: £64 (charge as at 1 April 2021)
  • inspection of premises: Charge is per officer time, per hour and per mile

Document requests

  • drawing floor plans for a three-storey HMO, £265 to a maximum of £509, each additional storey is £50
  • request for replacement copies of documents, including letters, notices and licences, £67

Charges for Statutory Notices Housing Act 2004

  • for improvement notice, emergency remedial action notice, prohibition order, emergency prohibition order or a demolition order - £585 for a property up to 10 rooms - ndividual assessments will be carried out on larger properties.; the costs of reports, analysis, etc needed prior to enforcement will always be added to the costs
  • suspended improvement notice, suspended prohibition order, or serving copies of the authority’s decision on such a review, £265 up to a maximum of £509

Failure to comply with an enforcement action

  • works in default, for works undertaken by the council for failure to comply with an enforcement notice, 17% management charge

Other HMO licensing fees or information

  • change of licence holder - new licensing application will be required
  • renewal of licence following expiry of reduced term (five years), subject to a new application fee
  • revocation notice, no charge
  • sale of licensed HMO, HMO licensing fee not refundable
  • Temporary Exemption Notice, no charge
  • Variation Notice, no charge unless additional rooms or units are occupied - HMO licensing fee would apply