Providing information to occupants

The manager of a HMO must ensure that their name, address, and phone number are made available to each household in the HMO. This information must be clearly displayed in a prominent position within the building. This is important so that occupants know who to contact if they have any concerns or issues with the property.

Ensuring safety measures

The manager of a HMO must ensure that all means of escape from fire are kept free from obstruction and maintained in good order and repair. They must also ensure that any fire fighting equipment and fire alarms are in good working order. Notices indicating the location of means of escape from fire must be displayed clearly in positions within the HMO that enable them to be easily visible to the occupants.

The manager must also take all necessary measures to protect occupants from injury, considering the design of the HMO, its structural conditions, and the number of people living there. For example, if there is a roof or balcony that is unsafe, the manager must either make it safe or take reasonable measures to prevent access to it.

Maintaining water supply and drainage

The manager of a HMO must ensure that the water supply and drainage system serving the HMO is in good, clean, and working condition. They must also ensure that any tank, cistern, or similar receptacle used for the storage of water for drinking or other domestic purposes is kept in good condition with a cover over it. Any water fitting which is liable to damage by frost must be protected from frost damage. The manager must not unreasonably cause or permit the water or drainage supply that is used by any occupier at the HMO to be interrupted.

Supplying and maintaining gas and electricity

The manager of a HMO must supply the latest gas appliance test certificate to the local housing authority within 7 days of receiving a request in writing from that authority. The manager must also ensure that every fixed electrical installation is inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years by a qualified person. They must obtain a certificate from the person conducting that test, specifying the results of the test, and supply that certificate to the local housing authority within 7 days of receiving a request in writing for it from that authority. The manager must not unreasonably cause the gas or electricity supply that is used by any occupier within the HMO to be interrupted.

Maintaining common parts, fixtures, fittings, and appliances

The manager of a HMO must ensure that all common parts of the HMO are maintained in good and clean decorative repair and kept clear from obstruction. They must ensure that all handrails and bannisters are kept in good repair and that any additional handrails or bannisters necessary for safety are provided. The common parts must be fitted with adequate light fittings that are available for use at all times by every occupier of the HMO. Fixtures, fittings, or appliances used in common by two or more households within the HMO must be maintained in good and safe repair and in clean working order.

Maintaining living accommodation

The manager of a HMO must ensure that each unit of living accommodation within the HMO and any furniture supplied with it are in clean condition at the beginning of a person’s occupation of it. They must also ensure that the internal structure of each part of the HMO used as living accommodation is maintained in good repair, and any fixtures, fittings, or appliances within the part are maintained in good repair and clean working order.

Providing waste disposal facilities

The manager of a HMO must ensure that there are sufficient bins or other suitable receptacles for each household to store their refuse and litter pending its disposal. They must also make arrangements for the disposal of refuse and litter from the HMO as necessary, considering any service for such disposal provided by the local authority.

Occupier responsibilities

Every occupier of a HMO must conduct themselves in a way that will not hinder or frustrate the manager in the performance of their duties. They must allow the manager to enter their living accommodation or other occupied areas at all reasonable times for any purpose connected with the carrying out of the manager’s duties. Occupiers must also provide the manager, at their request, with any information they reasonably require to carry out their duties.

Occupiers must take reasonable care to avoid causing damage to anything which the manager is under a duty to supply, maintain, or repair. They must also store and dispose of litter. Additionally, occupiers must comply with any reasonable instructions given by the manager in respect of any means of escape from fire, the prevention of fire, and the use of fire equipment.

Conclusion

HMO Management Regulations aim to ensure that the manager of a HMO takes reasonable steps to maintain the safety, comfort, and well-being of its occupants. By fulfilling their duties under these regulations, managers can create a safe and comfortable living environment for everyone living in the HMO.

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