Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) list
Last updated: August 2026
The HMO list sets out the council's combined list of HMO properties, our understanding of the planning status of properties, and whether or not the property holds a licence which would be issued by the Private Sector Housing Team (license applications that are in progress do not feature on this data list until a licence has actually been issued).
The Planning Service has an Article 4 direction that covers the entire city. However, the regulations for licensing vary and are as follows:
- HMO licensing for smaller properties, which is referred to as Additional Licensing, started on 1 September 2023. This is a city wide scheme and means that if your property has three or four people who form two or more households it will need to be licensed. This includes both shared houses and bedsits where occupants share amenities.
- For the larger properties with 5 or more occupants, often referred to as Mandatory Licensing, this is a city wide licensing scheme. Due to new regulations, all properties from 1 October 2018 are required to have a licence if they have 5 or more occupiers regardless of the number of storeys.
Portsmouth City Council is joined up, however in some cases the legislation we work with is not. When dealing with the Article 4 directive and licensing of HMO's, each council department has a specific responsibility to ensure compliance with its own legal responsibilities. This can mean an HMO could be issued a licence via the Private Sector Housing Team, when it does not have planning permission to be used as an HMO and vice versa. But we do share information and ensure that landlords are fully aware of their legal responsibilities.
There is a public register containing details of licence holders and their properties. You can view the HMO licence public register.
Private Sector Housing maintains a statutory public register of all licensed HMOs in Portsmouth in accordance with its duties under the Housing Act 2004. For further information about HMO Licensing, or to request a copy of the public register, please visit about HMO licences. Please note that the public register shows properties with HMO licences and does not detail licence applications that are in progress.