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Planning permission<\/strong> is not usually required for letting rooms in your own home, as long as the property remains primarily your home and residential accommodation.<\/p>\n This may not be the case if you were to use it primarily to earn money from letting accommodation, and you should check this first with your\u00c2\u00a0local council<\/a>.<\/p>\n A House in Multiple Occupation Licence<\/strong> is sometimes required by a Local Authority. This is not required for renting out one room at a property but if two or more rooms are rented out, then permission can be required.\u00c2\u00a0 These are known as Licences which are granted to Houses in Multiple Occupation. Local Authorities determine if these are required and define the criteria. (See below)<\/p>\n Mortgage Provider Permission If you have a mortgage, it is essential to get permission from your lender first, to avoid being in breach of the terms of the mortgage. Leaseholders should check the terms of the lease.<\/p>\n Insurance Company Consent Anyone you choose to let it to but there are obligations that you need to fulfill.\u00c2\u00a0 A landlord or their managing agent needs to confirm that the person renting a room is allowed to do so.<\/p>\n There is a maximum prison sentence of five years or an unlimited fine for renting property in England to someone you knew or had \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcreasonable cause to believe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the\u00c2\u00a0right to rent<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0in the UK or if you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t show that you checked their\u00c2\u00a0right to rent.<\/p>\n A landlord or agent needs to establish that the prospective tenant has the right to rent; if they are a UK citizen this right is automatic.\u00c2\u00a0If they are not a UK citizen, you need to establish that they have permission to enter or stay in the UK, their permission has not expired and that their papers are correct.<\/p>\n You do not need a Local Authority licence unless your property is considered a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).<\/p>\n A<\/strong> property is defined as a\u00c2\u00a0House in Multiple Occupation\u00c2\u00a0(HMO)<\/strong> if:<\/p>\n A ‘household’ can be defined as<\/strong> a single person or members of the same family who live together, including those who are:<\/p>\n The landlord and his household count as one household.<\/p>\n A house is an HMO if, for example, three single people have their own rooms, or two couples each share a room, but they share basic amenities.\u00c2\u00a0A property is likely to be an HMO if it is split into bedsits, a shared house or flat, a hostel, or a house shared by students.<\/p>\n There is a further classification of a Large House in Multiple Occupation.\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>The property is defined as a\u00c2\u00a0large HMO\u00c2\u00a0if:<\/p>\n A local authority\u00c2\u00a0licence<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0is mandatory* for all large HMOs. The landlord should apply for the licence or a managing agent can apply on behalf of the landlord. The licence is valid for a maximum of five years.<\/p>\n The penalty for not having a licence for a large HMO is an unlimited fine. A tenant may also be eligible to reclaim up to twelve months\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rent paid if you have been prosecuted for running an unlicenced large HMO.\u00c2\u00a0 A Section 21 notice (two months\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 notice to leave) is not valid if the tenant is on an assured shorthold tenancy.<\/p>\n The landlord (or occasionally a managing agent) is responsible for:<\/p>\n All Landlords of HMOs are also required to <\/strong>ensure that communal areas and shared facilities are clean and in good repair.<\/p>\n To apply for a large HMO licence, the landlord must ensure that:<\/strong><\/p>\n The council may impose other conditions to the licence, such as an improvement to the standard of the facilities.<\/p>\n The council may assess the suitability of the property using the\u00c2\u00a0Housing Health Safety Rating System<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0and can take action against the landlord (or employed manager) if the property is found to be unsafe or not fit to live in.<\/p>\n Read the government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00c2\u00a0guide for landlords and managers who manage\u00c2\u00a0HMOs<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0and\u00c2\u00a0letting rooms in your home a guide for resident landlords<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0for more information.<\/p>\n – – – – –<\/p>\n * In July 2017 the Housing Minister, Alok Sharma, responded to a parliamentary question on the proportion of HMOs that are subject to mandatory licensing.<\/p>\n He said: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153As at 31 March 2016, local authorities provided the Department\u00c2\u00a0with estimate numbers of total mandatory licensable Houses in\u00c2\u00a0Multiple Occupation (HMOs) at 63,950. The actual number of\u00c2\u00a0properties which have been issued a mandatory HMO licence is\u00c2\u00a040,970. Therefore, the current proportion is 65 per cent.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n – – – – –<\/p>\n See our related article:\u00c2\u00a0Legislation changes to HMOs and EPCs<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>for proposed amendments to the current rules on Houses of Multiple Occupation and Energy Performance Certificates.<\/p>\n PropertySurveying.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\n<\/strong>If you own your property outright, you do not need to seek permission to let rooms.
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\n<\/strong>You should inform your home insurance company (both contents and buildings) and if necessary extend your cover. Letting rooms are likely to be considered more of an insurance risk.\u00c2\u00a0 Not to do so could leave you uninsured as this is a breach of contract.\u00c2\u00a0
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nWho can rent a room in my home?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How do you ensure you have reason to believe that a possible tenant has the right to rent?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Do I need a licence to rent a room in my house or my property?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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What will a landlord be responsible for?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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How does the council assess suitability?<\/strong><\/h3>\n