New shared homes in Brent, also known as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) must now meet a new set of criteria to ensure they provide suitable, good quality living spaces for residents.
A HMO is a property occupied by three or more unrelated people, who share some basic amenities such as a living room, kitchen or bathroom.
Landlords interested in renting out new HMOs across most of Brent will be required to seek planning permission from 1 November 2022 in line with the guidelines in the new HMO Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
The guidance sets out the minimum amount of space required for tenants in bedrooms and communal spaces along with a requirement to be well connected to public transport and close to shops. Landlords will also need to provide a plan for the management and upkeep of the property.
HMOs operating before this date will need to ensure they have a private sector landlord licence and building regulations approval. If there are more than six occupants, they also require the necessary planning permission.
The new rules complement the existing planning and licensing requirements and building regulations.
