Apply for a HMO licence

You need a Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence if you own a property that is occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households, regardless of the number of floors in the property.

Licensing standards and conditions

The licensing fire and amenity standards your property needs to meet can be found under supporting information on this page.

The law relating to houses in multiple occupation can be found under The Housing Act 2004 and The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018.

Who needs to apply for a licence

You need apply if your property meets the requirements for a licence.

You need to nominate a person or company to be the licence holder.

If you want to take over a licence currently held by another landlord or family member, you will need to apply using the apply for a new licence form.

Who doesn't need a licence

You don't need an HMO licence if your property is a purpose built flat in a block of three or more self-contained flats.

How long a licence lasts

Licences usually last 5 years.

Where applications are late, the validity of the license will begin from when the licence should have been issued, subject to a minimum period of 2 years.

You can also renew your HMO licence once it has expired or make changes to your current one.

What training you need

Licence holders and managers need to attend an HMO licensing training course.

Working in partnership with the Residential Landlord Association (RLA), we have developed training to satisfy our licence conditions.

The RLA offers a professional development course for landlords. You can also take this course to improve your knowledge in this area.

The training is delivered by a landlord and allows networking between landlords, managers and agents as part of the training.

This course is commissioned by us and is the preferred training course to satisfy licence training conditions.

Costs

The costs for HMO licenses are: 

• £750 for a new licence application fee for a 5 person HMO
• £25 fee for each additional person on a licence
• £360 where a licence is taken over by another landlord or family member

If you withdraw your licence application before the licence has been issued, you will receive a 50% refund.

Where we identify properties where applications are over 2 months late, there is a £150 charge.

What happens once you have made an application

Your application will be assessed to confirm that you need a licence and to ensure that the correct type of application has been made.

If we approve, you will be granted a licence, subject to licensing conditions.

We aim to issue the licence within 45 working days of a valid application, however this time frame is liable to change.

Tacit consent will not apply

It is in the public interest that we process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within 2 months of making an application, you should contact us.

How to apply

Pay your application fees

Before you apply you should pay your licence fees. Payments can be made online, by calling our team or by a cheque made payable to Sheffield City Council.

Apply by email or post

You can download and print the application form and send it to us by email or post.

Emailing us is the preferred method of application. It provides evidence of your form submission.

If there are more than 2 licence holders or managers, you should submit an additional fit and proper declaration form with your application.

In order to receive your licence documentation electronically, you will be required to complete the Electronic Declaration pages of the form.

You should include your payment reference number with your application.

Please use the latest version of the application form provided.

How to make an appeal or a complaint

If you want to appeal a decision or make a complaint about your HMO licence or application, you can do so in writing at HMO@sheffield.gov.uk or by post to:

Private Housing Standards
Moorfoot Building
Sheffield
S1 4PL