Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing

Many HMOs need a licence. Find out how to apply or renew a licence

A House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a property rented out by at least 3 people who are not from 1 'household' (e.g a family) but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen.

Who needs a licence

Anyone who owns or manages a HMO (including landlords and letting agents) in the Fenland district must have a licence from us if:

their property is occupied by 5 or more people
occupants form 2 or more households (a household are members of the same family living together)
occupants share 'basic amenities' (e.g kitchen, bathroom)

We will issue a licence when we have considered the relevant evidence and are satisfied that:

the HMO is reasonably suitable for occupation by the number of people allowed under the licence
the proposed licence holder is a "fit and proper person"
the licence holder is 18 years or older
the proposed licence holder is the most appropriate person to hold the licence
the proposed manager (if there is one) is a "fit and proper person"
the proposed management arrangements are satisfactory
the person involved in the management of the HMO is competent

Properties rented to less than 5 occupiers that form two households and share facilities must comply with HMO regulations.

Public Register of Licensed HMOs

You can view the current list of licenced HMOs from 1 October 2018 on our Public Access system. Simply select 'Licences', enter HMO into the search box and click the search button.

Planning Permission and Article 4 Direction

If you are changing the use of a property to become a HMO, you may need Planning and Building Regulations approval.

Existing HMOs with 7 or more persons need planning permission.

Article 4 Direction: Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Wisbech

The Council has made an immediate and non-immediate Article 4 Direction to regulate the creation of new small HMOs in Wisbech.

Under national planning legislation, converting a property from a single dwelling (Use Class C3) to a small HMO (Use Class C4) currently falls under permitted development rights, meaning no planning permission is required.

An Article 4 Direction removes these permitted development rights, requiring property owners to obtain planning permission before converting a dwelling into an HMO.

The direction only applies to the conversion of 'small HMOs', which have been between three and six unrelated occupiers. 'Large HMOs', which are occupied by more than six unrelated occupiers, are already subject to planning permission.

Where these controls apply

The immediate Article 4 Direction applies to the Wisbech Riverside and Wisbech South wards. The control has come into force with immediate effect.

The non-immediate Article 4 Direction applies to all other wards in Wisbech - Wisbech North; Wisbech Walsoken and Waterlees; and Leverington and Wisbech Rural. This control is intended to come into effect from February 2026.

Why the Council is implementing these controls

There are growing concerns about the concentration of HMOs in Wisbech and their impact on local communities, including:

Noise nuisance and antisocial behaviour
Increased pressure on local services and infrastructure
Car parking issues
Changes to the character of residential areas
Poor housing conditions and management
Loss of family-sized housing

By implementing the Article 4 Directions, the Council aims to ensure that new small HMOs are appropriately located, developed to a high standard and managed to protect the local environment and community.

Immediate Article 4 Direction

Non-immediate Article 4 Direction

Non-immediate Article 4 Direction (PDF, 2 MB)

You should still apply for an HMO licence if the property is to be occupied by 5 or more people, who form 2 or more households and share basic amenities. You will need to obtain planning permission before applying for an HMO licence as this will be requested during the application.

If you are changing the use of a property to become a HMO, you may need Planning and Building Regulations approval.

Existing HMOs with 7 or more persons need planning permission.

For any enquiries, please contact HMOlicensing@fenland.gov.uk. You can also find information on our website about the planning process.

Apply for a 5 year House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) Licence

The fee for new applications is £750. The fee for renewals is £660.

Before starting your application, it is important to have the follow documents ready to upload, however, this can be done at any stage of the application:

A valid Gas Safe certificate (e.g within the last 12 months) if gas appliances are used in the property
A full and valid EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report)
A valid Fire Alarm test certificate (e.g within the last 12 months)
A tenancy agreement (for each separate tenant in the HMO). This is a requirement for NEW applications only.
A floor plan of the property including room sizes. View an example floor plan (PDF, 778 KB)

As well as the above, you need to email the following documents to HMOlicensing@fenland.gov.uk:

Proof of planning permission (if the property is occupied by 7 or more people)
Evidence of an existing planning application (if an application has been made)
Proof of your identity and address
A completed Fit and Proper Person Declaration Form (PDF, 95 KB)

You will be asked for your payment details at the end of the application. Please have your card details ready.

To avoid losing any details, we suggest that you save your application as you go along. You can do this by creating an account. This allows you to save and continue your application at a later date.

If you have any difficulties, email HMOlicensing@fenland.gov.uk. We will respond to you within 5 working days.

After you've applied

You will receive an automated confirmation email after you've completed your application. We will then assess your application.

View a flowchart of the HMO application process (PDF, 197 KB)

Failure to have a HMO licence

If a property is licensable but hasn't got a live application, we will use our powers using the Civil Penalty process. This is explained in our Housing Enforcement policy.

If you think a property is operating as a HMO without an appropriate licence, please report it to us.

Temporary Exemption Notices

An owner or person in control of a HMO can apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN). This is for a licensable property that is not licenced and where steps are being taken to exempt the property from requiring a licence under Part 2 or 3 of the Housing Act 2004.

Apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice (PDF, 938 KB)

New Mandatory HMO licence conditions

New regulations have introduced minimal room sizes and waste disposal provision requirements.

The minimum sleeping room sizes imposed as conditions of the licence are:

6.51m² for one person over 10 years of age
10.22m² for two persons over 10 years of age
4.64m² for one child under the age of 10 years

If the landlord doesn't meet the minimum room standards at the time they apply for the licence, we have a duty to give them a transitional time to comply with the requirements.

Landlords must ensure the dwelling has adequate waste disposal facilities. We expect landlords to comply with current HMO waste service standards (PDF, 328 KB)

Fire Risk Assessment

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a legal requirement on the 'Responsible Person' to ensure that a Fire Risk Assessment of the common parts of the HMO is carried out and displayed within the common parts of the dwelling.

This requirement forms part of the HMO licence conditions. Landlords must comply with this specification to avoid a breach of licence conditions.

Read guidance on Fire Risk Assessments

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Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing

Article 4 Direction: Small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Wisbech