Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Types of HMO licences

If you manage or control a property that requires a licence, you are responsible for applying for it.

HMO licences cannot be transferred. If someone else is going to take over as the licence holder, they must apply for a new licence.

If you are taking steps with a view to ensure that a house no longer needs a licence, then you may be able to apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN).

You may check if an HMO has a licence on our HMO Public Register.

There are 2 forms of licensing operating in West Northamptonshire: Mandatory and Additional Licensing. 

Mandatory Licensing 

An HMO needs a licence if it is rented to 5 or more people from more than one household and if tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities. At least one tenant must pay rent.

Additional Licensing

We are committed to raising the standards of private rented housing. Our Additional Licensing Scheme applies to HMOs which do not meet the mandatory HMO licensing criteria.

You need an HMO licence if your property is in the Additional HMO area.

This applies to:

• houses or flats with 3 or more people living there, forming 2 or more households and sharing facilities
• section 257 HMOs - buildings converted into self-contained flats where:
  • the conversion did not meet the Building Regulations in force at the time
  • fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied

A new Additional Licensing Scheme started on 24 February 2025 and will run for 5 years. 

The new area, shown on the map, includes the area covered by the 2020 to 2025 Additional Licensing Scheme and additional areas in Northampton and Daventry.

For more information on mandatory and additional licensing, see our Apply for a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence page.

Exemptions from licensing

Certain types of buildings are not defined as HMOs and therefore do not need to be licensed. 

These are defined in Schedule 14 of the Housing Act 2004 as buildings:

• managed by certain public sector bodies, including local housing authority, non-profit registered provider of social housing or a health service body
• controlled and managed by a co-operative society
• occupied by students and the person managing or having control is the educational establishment which the students attend and that educational establishment has signed up to an approved code of practice
• regulated under other legislation, for example boarding schools, prisons, accommodation centres for asylum seekers and care homes
• occupied by religious communities unless they are S257 HMO’s
• occupied by owners and up to 2 persons that are not of that household
• occupied by 2 persons
• subject to a Temporary Exemption Notice

More information on licensing can be found on the Shelter website.

Last updated 19 September 2025