Running an HMO means passing licensing inspections, EICRs and fire risk assessments — repeatedly, across every let. This hub pulls together the compliance guides and the products inspectors actually check, so you can fix observations before they become enforcement.
Start with the requirements
- Printable HMO compliance checklist — tick off electrical, fire and document items room by room.
- HMO licensing compliance guide (Housing Act 2004) — what licensing officers look for, in depth.
- EICR checklist for landlords — what's inspected, common C2/C3 observations and how to pass.
- Fire safety for HMOs — BS 5839 & BS 5266 — alarm grades/categories and emergency lighting explained.
Fix the common failures
- Emergency lighting on escape routes — most licensed HMOs need it; our BS 5266 buying guide covers maintained vs non-maintained and where fittings go. Shop emergency lighting.
- Fire doors that don't seal — intumescent strips and smoke seals are a standard licensing condition: fire & smoke seals, door hardware & mastic.
- Damaged or dated accessories flagged on EICRs — cracked plates and scorched sockets are C2 candidates. Like-for-like replacements in cost-effective white moulded or metal finishes; our socket replacement guide covers the swap.
- Bathroom zone breaches — wrong IP ratings near showers: see bathroom zones and IP ratings explained.
- Tenant overloading — fit more sockets rather than tolerating adaptor stacks; USB sockets cut plug-top chargers — USB socket range. Check safe limits with the extension lead load calculator.
Durable specs that survive tenants
Landlords standardise on BG accessories because ranges stay consistent across years — replacements always match. For kitchens, labelled grid switch banks make appliance isolation obvious to tenants and inspectors alike. Metal ranges shrug off wear in high-churn lets; see the range comparison for where to spend.
Buying for a portfolio
- Multi-buy savings apply automatically (2+ save 2% … 20+ save 7%).
- Trade accounts for landlords and agents: project pricing across properties, one account, fast reorders.
- Refurbishing whole houses? The bathroom refurb guide and refurb supplier guide include room-by-room bills of materials that adapt well to HMOs, or request a quote.