Do I need an EPC if I have an HMO?

Question

Answer

Not necessarily.

The Residential Landlord’s Association states that an EPC is required as follows:-

• Individual house/dwelling (i.e. a self contained property with its own kitchen/bathroom facilities) - one EPC for the dwelling.
• Self contained flats (i.e. each behind its own front door with its own kitchen/bathroom facilities) - one EPC per flat.
• Bedsits or room lets where there is a shared kitchen, toilet and/or bathroom (e.g. a property where each room has its own tenancy agreement) - No EPC is required.
• Shared flats/houses (e.g. a letting of a whole flat or house to students/young professionals etc on a single tenancy agreement) - one EPC for the whole house.
• Mixed self contained and non self contained accommodation - one EPC for each self contained flat/unit but no EPC for the remainder of the property.
• A room in a hall of residence or hostel - no EPC is required.

Generally HMO’s fall into category 3 and therefore an EPC is not required for each unit. However we do recommend you check the definition of your property carefully when deciding if and EPC is required.

There is a penalty of £200 per dwelling for landlord’s failing to provide an EPC when required.

An HMO is defined as a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one household/family. All of the following need to apply for a property to be classed as an HMO:

• It is rented to 3 or more people who form more than one household
• It is at least three storeys high
• Tenants share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.

HMO requirements are on a case by case basis, so check with your local council about their specific requirements.If a landlord does not provide a tenant with a copy of the EPC at the start of a tenancy agreement you would not be able to serve a tenant with a Section 21 notice should you need to. Furthermore, landlords can be fined a whopping £20,000 for renting out an HMO without a licence.

When purchasing a Tenant Finder Premium Package through urban.co.uk, we take the pressure off landlords by sending a copy of the EPC, the Government ‘How To Rent’ booklet and Prescribed Information for the protected deposit. If you do not have an EPC, we have assessors nationwide who can carry out an EPC for your property, which is then valid for 10 years.

For more information, contact us on info@urban.co.uk or 0800 689 9955