Hounslow HMO Licence Conditions: What Your Licence Requires

Getting the licence is step one. Keeping it means meeting a set of ongoing conditions that the council can enforce with civil penalties up to £40,000 per offence. Most conditions are straightforward, but the ones landlords trip over tend to be the recurring deadlines they forget about.

Mandatory National Conditions

Every HMO licence in England carries conditions set by Schedule 4 of the Housing Act 2004 and the 2018 Mandatory Conditions Regulations. These are not optional and cannot be removed by the council:

• Gas safety certificates — annual inspections by a Gas Safe registered engineer, covering every gas appliance in the property. The certificate must be submitted to the council on request.
• Electrical installations — maintained in a safe condition with EICR reports available on request. The report must show a satisfactory classification with no uncorrected C1 or C2 defects.
• Smoke alarms — a working smoke alarm on every storey of the property, tested and maintained.
• Carbon monoxide alarms — in every room containing a fuel-burning appliance (gas boiler, gas fire, wood burner).
• Written terms of occupation — every tenant must receive a written tenancy agreement or statement of terms.
• Minimum sleeping room sizes — rooms used as bedrooms must meet the statutory minimums (6.51 m² for a single, 10.22 m² for a double, 4.64 m² for a child under 10).

Hounslow-Specific Conditions

On top of the national requirements, Hounslow Council attaches local conditions based on the property's layout, size and management arrangements. These typically include:

Occupancy limits — the licence specifies how many people can live in the property and in which rooms. Exceeding the permitted occupancy is a licence breach.

Amenity standards — kitchens, bathrooms and WCs must meet Hounslow's local ratios (one bathroom plus one WC for up to four occupants; an additional separate WC for five; two of each for six to ten). Kitchen equipment standards are specific: four-hob cooker, sink with drainer, minimum worktop dimensions, a base cupboard per household.

Heating — fixed heating systems maintaining 21°C in bedrooms and bathrooms and 18°C in common parts at an external temperature of −1°C. Portable gas and oil heaters are banned.

Management regulations — under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, the manager must display their contact details in a communal area, keep common parts and escape routes clear, and maintain structural and safety fixtures.

Fire safety — maintained fire detection and alarm systems, clear escape routes, and compliance with the Fire Risk Assessment. For larger HMOs or converted buildings, this may include maintained emergency lighting to BS 5266 standards.

What Happens If You Breach a Condition

Breaching a licence condition is a criminal offence under section 72(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Hounslow can respond with:

• A civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence
• Criminal prosecution with an unlimited fine on conviction
• Licence revocation in serious or persistent cases
• An interim management order, where the council takes direct control of the property

The council's Civil Penalty Policy uses a structured assessment considering culpability, harm, track record, financial gain and deterrence. A 15% prompt payment discount applies if you pay within 28 days of service of the Final Notice.

Staying Compliant Year to Year

The licence runs for up to five years, but most conditions require action well before renewal:

• Annual: Gas Safety Certificate, fire alarm test report (BS 5839)
• Every 5 years: EICR
• Ongoing: smoke alarm and CO alarm checks, waste management, communal area maintenance, keeping within occupancy limits
• On change: apply to vary the licence for a change of managing agent, an increase in permitted occupancy or a physical layout alteration (section 69)

The most common compliance failure is letting a safety certificate lapse. A gas certificate that expires without renewal puts you in immediate breach even if everything else is perfect.

The Hounslow Landlord Licensing Guide includes a licence condition calendar worksheet that tracks every recurring deadline across the five-year licence period, so nothing slips through.

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