Licensing
We check which licence your house needs, its conditions and renewal date. In England, mandatory licensing generally covers five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities; local schemes can cover smaller houses.
Why HMOs are different
An HMO isn’t a bigger let. It’s a small business.
Room-by-room lettings mean separate tenancies, references and move-outs — plus licensing, fire safety and shared areas to look after. Here’s how an HMO stacks up against a single let.
What to manage
Single let
HMO
Tenancies
Single let · One tenancy, one set of references
HMO · Room-by-room lettings can have separate start dates, deposits, references and notices.
Licensing
Single let · Check for selective licensing and local requirements
HMO · In England, larger shared HMOs generally need a licence; local schemes can cover smaller houses too.
Fire safety
Single let · Smoke and CO alarms, with the relevant safety checks
HMO · A fire risk assessment and the detection, doors and lighting required for the house — tested and logged.
Shared areas
Single let · The tenant looks after the home; landlord repair duties remain
HMO · Shared kitchens, bathrooms and hallways need active management and regular checks.
Bills & council tax
Single let · Usually paid by the tenant
HMO · Often bills-included; responsibility depends on the letting arrangements and local rules.
Room standards
Single let · General housing and safety standards apply
HMO · Additional room-size, occupancy and amenity conditions may apply under the licence.
Turnover
Single let · One household moving in or out
HMO · Rooms may turn over separately — every void and check-in needs attention.
Getting it wrong
Single let · Landlord duties still apply
HMO · Licensing and management breaches can lead to enforcement, financial penalties and rent repayment orders.
Licensing and safety requirements depend on the property, UK nation and council. We check the local requirements for each house. Read the government’s licensing guidance.
The complexity, unpacked
Six things that trip up HMO landlords.
Rules differ between councils, and they change. We track them for every house we manage, so you don’t have to.
Fire safety
A current fire risk assessment and the right fire doors, alarms and emergency lighting for the house — with checks recorded and actions followed up.
Room sizes & amenities
We check occupancy, bedroom sizes and shared facilities against the standards and licence conditions that apply to your house.
Management regulations
Contact details, safe shared areas, maintained services and waste arrangements — the everyday duties that keep a shared house running.
Planning & Article 4
Planning permission and HMO licensing are separate. We check the local position, including Article 4 restrictions where relevant, before advising on next steps.
Tenancy rules
The right agreements, notices and processes for each room. We check the current rules in the UK nation where your property is located.
Our HMO offering
Fully managed, built for shared houses.
Everything a single-let service does, plus the extra layer an HMO needs — run by a team that manages 600+ properties across the UK.
Book a call with DanRoom-by-room lettings
Rooms advertised individually, applicants referenced, and new sharers considered alongside the household already living there.
Licence applications — no admin charge
We prepare applications and renewals and check the house against its licence conditions. Council licence fees remain payable.
Monthly fire alarm testing
We arrange monthly alarm and emergency-lighting checks where applicable, keep the records and follow up any faults.
A compliance calendar per house
Gas safety, EICR, EPC, licence renewals and fire checks tracked and arranged before they fall due.
Inspections every six months
Rooms and shared areas inspected, with a photo report in your landlord app.
Bills, council tax & voids
Help with utilities and council tax arrangements for bills-included houses, and marketing to fill empty rooms.
Maintenance that keeps up
Shared kitchens and bathrooms work harder. Repairs are reported and dispatched to vetted local contractors.
One HMO manager
A named property manager who knows your houses, your tenants and your council — not a call centre.
Straightforward fees
More rooms shouldn’t mean more surprises.
Management is priced per house and quoted up front. The extras an HMO needs are listed here — nothing hidden in the small print.
- HMO licence applications
- No admin charge — council fees payable
- Admin fees
- No check-in, deposit or notice admin charges
- New tenancy (per room let)
- £238.80, including VAT
- Inspections
- £60 including VAT, every six months
- Monthly fire alarm tests
- Contractor cost + 10% arrangement charge
- Compliance certificates
- Contractor cost + 10% arrangement charge
- Maintenance
- Contractor cost + 10% works charge
Fixed prices include VAT. Council fees, contractor costs and arrangement charges are separate; your written quote sets out the full payable amount and VAT before work is approved.
How it works
From first call to fully managed.
HMO review with Dan
Dan walks through each house with you: licence status, fire safety, room sizes and current rents.
Compliance check
A clear list of anything that needs fixing, with costs, so you can plan the next steps.
Handover
We coordinate tenancies, deposits and certificates with your current agent. Tenants stay put.
Managed
Your HMO manager runs the houses day to day; you see the updates in your landlord app.
HMO questions
The things HMO landlords ask us.
In England, a house shared by at least three people from more than one household, with shared facilities, will generally be an HMO. Larger HMOs normally need a licence, and councils can license smaller ones too. Rules differ across the UK, so we’ll check your property’s location and circumstances with you.
Yes. Dan will review the existing tenancies, deposits, certificates and licence before planning a handover with your current agent. Tenants do not need to move out just because the managing agent changes.
Yes. We prepare and submit applications and renewals with no application admin charge. Council licence fees and any works needed to meet the licence conditions are separate.
We offer room-by-room lettings. Dan will discuss your current setup and the appropriate tenancy arrangements for the house before quoting.
We’ll identify the gaps and agree a plan and costs with you. Any safety or licensing issues must be addressed; taking on management does not remove the landlord’s legal responsibilities.
Yes. Talk to Dan about your property’s location, local licensing and management needs. He is the booking contact for HMO enquiries wherever the property is located.
Talk directly to Dan Butcher
Talk your HMOs through with Dan.
Dan Butcher, our Head of Central Letting Agents, will be your point of contact. He’ll go through your houses with you — licence status, fire safety, room rents and what it would take to switch. No obligation.
- Licence and compliance status for each house
- Room rents and local demand
- A clear list of anything that needs fixing
- A switching plan that runs to your dates
- You speak to Dan directly, not a call centre
Book your HMO call with Dan
Choose a time from Dan’s live calendar. You can discuss one house or a portfolio.
Have your property address ready. HubSpot confirms your appointment after you complete the booking.