National HMO standards
The legal minimum standards for licensed HMOs are set out in the Housing Act 2004 and national regulations. Before granting a licence, the Council must be satisfied the HMO meets the prescribed standard set out in the Housing Act 2004 and associated regulations.
The HMO Management Regulations cover the legal duties for the day-to-day running of HMOs.
All licensed HMOs must have a fire risk assessment. This is a requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System applies to all residential property, irrespective of tenure. This is a risk based approach to ensure all properties are safe for people to live in.
Oxford City Council HMO Licence Conditions
All HMO licences are issued with the same standard licence conditions. Some conditions are legally required by the Housing Act 2004 and other conditions are applied to all HMO licences to ensure consistent management of HMOs.
We inspect all HMOs before issue of the first licence to make sure the HMO meets minimum standards (Copy of Conditions below). If it does not, we add conditions to the licence to require work in a certain time frame.
Download Copy of Standard Licence Conditions
Oxford City Council Minimum Standards
We have produced an Amenity and Facility Guide for landlords, tenants and residents to explain the minimum standards that people should expect in HMOs to meet the Housing Act 2004 standards and ensure consistency in HMO standards. This details the requirements in relation to room sizes, kitchen facilities, bathroom / toilet facilities, fire precautions and waste management. The guide also contains information on the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System, on the Management Regulations and planning permission.
Download our Amenities and Facilities Guide
Other Safety Requirements in HMOs
Please see the Safety requirements in HMOs page.
HMO Licence Pre-application Advice Visits
If you are a landlord thinking about converting a property into an HMO and you would like us to visit to advise you on the HMO licensing requirements before you complete works or apply for a licence, please contact us using the link below. There is a charge for this service, see our Fees and Charges page for details.
