Report an unlicensed HMO property

All Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Portsmouth require a licence.

What is a House in Multiple Occupation?

A property is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) when:

The property is shared by three or more people who are not all part of the same family. Each person or family group is considered a separate household, and the property must be their main place of residence.
Facilities like toilets, bathrooms, or kitchens are shared and are usually accessed through communal areas. These shared spaces may be used by some or all of the occupants.

Some buildings that have been converted into flats may also be HMOs. An HMO licence is required if the building:

has been converted into separate flats, without any shared facilities,
the conversion work doesn’t meet the standards set by the 1991 Building Regulations, and
at least two-thirds of the flats are rented out

A licence isn’t needed if only two people live in the property.

You can check if an HMO is licensed by visiting our HMO database

If you live in or near an HMO and think it may not have a licence, please let us know.