Understanding HMO Amenity Standards: A Guide for Landlords and Investors
If you own or are planning to invest in a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), understanding amenity standards is crucial. These are the minimum requirements set by local councils to ensure that HMOs provide safe, comfortable, and functional living spaces for tenants. Failing to meet these standards can result in fines, enforcement action, or even losing your HMO licence so do not take the advice in these lightly!
In this blog, we’ll break down the key Amenity standards and look at what that means for you and your HMO renovation.
What Are HMO Amenity Standards?
HMO amenity standards are guidelines issued by local councils to ensure that shared properties meet basic living conditions for tenants. They cover things like:
✔️ Minimum room sizes
✔️ Kitchen and cooking facilities
✔️ Bathroom and toilet provisions
✔️ Laundry and waste disposal
✔️ Fire safety and ventilation
Although there are general national standards, each local authority can have slightly different rules, so it’s always best to check with the council where your property is located.
From our experience they are usually pretty strictly followed so it’s best to hit these and some if you can. They can also change over time, so if you have the ability to do more within your HMO then you’ll be future proofing your investment and likely creating a better environment for your tenants too.
1. Minimum Room Sizes
Each bedroom in an HMO must be a certain size to ensure your tenants have enough living space to live comfortably. The national minimum bedroom sizes are:
- 6.51m² for a single occupant (if over 10 years old)
- 10.22m² for a double occupant
- 4.64m² for children under 10 years (but this cannot be rented as a separate room)
If a bedroom is below these sizes, it cannot legally be let to tenants.
Some councils have stricter size requirements, so always check locally. Our local council differs from these greatly so this should really be your starting point before you even view a property that you intend to convert to an HMO.
2. Kitchen & Cooking Facilities
Your HMO communal kitchen must provide enough space and appliances for all tenants. The requirements typically depend on the number of occupants and gives guidelines for things like:
✔️ Number of cookers/hobs are required depending on the number tenants
✔️ The amount of Sinks/dishwashers depending on the number of tenants
✔️ Size and number of Fridge Freezers required
✔️ The amount of worktop space and cupboard space required
✔️ Number of sockets required within the kitchen
These standards will affect the size of the actual kitchen as well as your plumbing and electrical plans so plan out your kitchen as early into the project as you can to make sure it will all fit nicely.
Tip: In larger HMOs, separate multiples of ovens/fridges/sink so that you have two set ups either end of the kitchen.
3. Bathroom & Toilet Facilities
This one is one we always aim to overdo. The guidelines outline how many Sinks, Toilets and showers are required depending on how many tenants you have.
As an example in our local council, for 6 tenants you have to have 2 each of toilet, sink and showers. However, we would always aim for at most 2 people sharing a bathroom and ideally one bathroom per tenant (whether en-suite or not). We find this is a real requirement for high end HMOs in any area.
4. Laundry & Waste Disposal
There isn’t always a separate section for this but they will be mentioned in there somewhere. HMOs must have:
✔️ Laundry facilities – usually at least one washing machine for every 5 tenants, but again the more the merrier! If you can add tumble dryers too then do!
✔️ Adequate waste bins – usually either the number or size of bins required depending on the number of tenants. It’s another ‘the more the better’ scenario though. You’d be surprised how much waste we create!
Tip: Label waste bins clearly and provide a simple guide to recycling to avoid mess and confusion. If possible, get your cleaning company to take the bins out weekly.
5. Fire Safety & Ventilation
Fire safety is one of the most critical aspects of HMO compliance. While specific requirements vary by property size and layout, the following are minimum expectations:
✔️Interlinked smoke alarms on every floor and in communal areas.
✔️Fire doors (self-closing) on all bedrooms and high-risk areas like kitchens.
✔️Emergency lighting (PIR Lights) in corridors (We’d recommend this regardless).
✔️Fire blankets in every kitchen or kitchenette
✔️Clear escape routes with signage if necessary
Whilst not usually mentioned in the guidelines, ventilation is also essential. Kitchens and bathrooms must have extractor fans, and rooms should have adequate window openings to prevent damp and condensation.
Tip: Regular fire risk assessments and maintenance checks are essential to keep your HMO safe and compliant. Get your systems in place for these as early as possible.
Final Thoughts: Staying Compliant and Maximising Returns
Meeting HMO amenity standards is not just about following the law—it’s about creating a comfortable, safe, and attractive living space for tenants. A well-maintained, compliant HMO attracts better tenants, reduces void periods, and ultimately increases rental income.
Need help designing an HMO that meets all regulations while still looking stylish? Aben Interiors specialises in creating beautiful, compliant, and tenant-friendly HMOs. Contact us today to discuss your project!
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