Yes, in most cases. A mandatory HMO licence is required if your property is let to 5 or more people from 2 or more separate households, regardless of property type. Crawley Borough Council may also apply additional or selective licensing schemes that bring smaller HMOs (3–4 occupants) into scope in certain areas. Applications are made through Crawley Borough Council and require evidence of fire safety, room sizes, and management standards. We handle the full application on behalf of our managed HMO landlords.

An Article 4 Direction removes the automatic “permitted development” right to convert a standard family home (use class C3) to a small HMO (use class C4). Where an Article 4 Direction is in place, you must apply for full planning permission before converting or letting as an HMO. Parts of Crawley do have Article 4 Directions in force — we can check whether your specific property is affected before you proceed with any conversion plans.

Under the Housing Act 2004 and subsequent regulations, the minimum bedroom sizes in a licensed HMO are: 6.51 m² for a single occupant aged over 10; 10.22 m² for two occupants over 10; 4.64 m² for a child under 10. Communal kitchens have minimum size requirements based on occupant numbers. Rooms below these minimums cannot legally be let as sleeping accommodation. Crawley Borough Council can impose stricter local standards.

HMO fire safety obligations include: interlinked smoke alarms on every floor and inside every bedroom; a heat alarm in the kitchen; fire doors fitted to bedrooms and the kitchen (typically FD30 rated); emergency lighting in shared escape routes; a clear means of escape from every storey; a documented fire risk assessment reviewed annually; and an electrical installation condition report (EICR) every 5 years. Non-compliance carries unlimited fines and personal liability.

A property becomes an HMO when it is let to 3 or more unrelated people who share facilities like a kitchen or bathroom. A “small HMO” is 3–4 occupants (planning rules may apply via Article 4 but no mandatory licence). A “large HMO” is 5 or more occupants and triggers mandatory licensing. The definition counts people, not bedrooms — a 4-bed house with 5 lodgers is still a mandatory-licensable large HMO.

Our HMO management fee is structured as a percentage of monthly rent collected, typically a few percentage points higher than our standard fully managed lettings fee because HMOs require more intensive management: more frequent inspections, more tenants to deal with, more compliance documentation, and more maintenance coordination. We provide a detailed quote during your free landlord consultation. There are no upfront fees.

Operating an unlicensed mandatory-licensable HMO is a criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004. Penalties include: unlimited fines (typically £2,500 to £30,000+ per breach via civil penalty notices); a Rent Repayment Order requiring you to repay up to 24 months of rent to tenants or the local authority; banning orders for repeat offenders; and potential prosecution. We strongly recommend any HMO landlord verifies their licensing status before letting.