Your rights as an HMO tenant

Landlords and managers of HMOs have specific legal duties covering fire safety, escape routes, gas safety, electrical safety, and avoiding overcrowding. Larger and licensable HMOs are subject to additional management regulations covering matters like fire detection equipment and the condition of communal areas.

If you have concerns about safety in your HMO, raise them with the landlord or managing agent in writing first, and contact the local council's environmental health team if the issue is not addressed.

If you have an assured shorthold tenancy in England or Wales, any deposit you pay should be protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme within a set number of days, and you should be given prescribed information about where it is held. Some licence agreements (rather than tenancies) work differently — check which type of agreement you have and ask if you're not sure.

Landlords are generally responsible for keeping the structure, exterior, and key installations such as heating, water and sanitation in good repair. Report repair issues in writing, keep a copy, and follow up if nothing happens within a reasonable time. Persistent unresolved repair problems, particularly ones affecting health and safety, can be reported to the local council.

A landlord normally has to follow a legal process to end a tenancy, which usually means giving a valid written notice and, if you don't leave, applying to court for a possession order. The exact notice type, length and process depend on your tenancy type and the reason given. You do not have to leave simply because a landlord asks you to — get advice if you're unsure whether a notice is valid.

If you're dealing with a serious repairs issue, a disputed deposit, an eviction notice or harassment, independent advice services can explain your specific rights and options. Acting early, and keeping written records of everything, makes it much easier to resolve a problem.