Two questions decide whether an HMO plan is viable, and this tool answers both from the data we hold. First, the national mandatory-licensing rule: since October 2018 a property is a mandatory-licensable HMO if it's occupied by five or more people forming two or more separate households sharing facilities — enter the numbers and we apply the rule. Second, a live Article 4 check on the postcode, because in an Article 4 area you may not be able to create the HMO without full planning permission at all. What we deliberately don't do is guess at council additional or selective licensing schemes — those are set street-by-street and change often, so we signpost you to the right local authority rather than pretend to hold every register. No signup. England & Wales. The £109.90 Investor Pro report ties licensing to 15+ checks on the exact address.
This check runs on screen, no signup. The full property report is £9.99 Lite / £24.99 Complete — one report, one price, no subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Under the national rule (England, since October 2018; Wales applies the same threshold), a property needs a mandatory HMO licence when it's occupied by five or more people forming two or more separate households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. The old '3 or more storeys' condition was removed in 2018 — storeys no longer matter for the mandatory test. Operating a licensable HMO without a licence is a criminal offence.
A household is a single person or members of the same family living together — including couples, relatives and cohabiting partners. Five unrelated professionals sharing a house are five households; a couple plus three friends are four households. The mandatory licence is triggered by five or more people across two or more such households.
No, and we won't pretend to. Beyond the national mandatory rule, many councils run additional licensing (covering smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (covering all rented homes in a defined area). These are local, frequently changed, and not held in one national register — so we give you the mandatory verdict and the Article 4 position, then point you to your council and the gov.uk HMO licence finder to confirm any local scheme for the exact address.
They're separate gates. Article 4 is about planning — whether you're allowed to create the HMO at all without a full planning application. Licensing is about operating it safely once created. In an Article 4 area you can clear every licensing rule and still be blocked, because you couldn't get planning permission to convert. That's why this tool checks both, and why Article 4 is the one to check first.
Yes — like any private rented home, an HMO generally must have an EPC rating of at least E to be let lawfully, subject to exemptions. The Complete report includes the property's EPC band and floor area alongside the Article 4 and planning position, so you can see the whole picture before you offer.
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