HMO Licence Floor Plan: What Landlords Need to Show
Applying for an HMO licence involves providing the local council with information about the property, its occupants and its facilities. One document that can be particularly important is an HMO licence floor plan.
A good floor plan allows the council to understand how the property is arranged, how many rooms it contains and how the different areas are used.
For landlords in London, this can be especially important because councils can have their own application requirements and additional licensing schemes.
If you are preparing an HMO licence application, your floor plan should represent the property’s current layout rather than an old estate-agent drawing or an outdated plan.
What Is an HMO Licence Floor Plan?
An HMO licence floor plan is a drawing showing the layout of a house in multiple occupation.
The plan can help the council understand:
The number of bedrooms
The size of each room
Kitchens and cooking facilities
Bathrooms and toilets
Shared areas
Entrances and exits
Internal doors and openings
Staircases
Internal walls
External or separating walls
The different floors of the property
The exact requirements can vary between councils.
For example, Barnet Council’s HMO floor plan guidance explains that plans submitted for an HMO licence should show the premises and relevant levels, including room dimensions, facilities, entrances, exits, stairs and other important features.
Before submitting your application, check the requirements of the council responsible for your property.
For a broader explanation, see our guide to Floor Plan for Property Licensing.
Why Is a Floor Plan Important for an HMO Licence?
An HMO can contain several bedrooms and shared facilities, often across multiple floors.
A written application might say that a property has five bedrooms, two bathrooms and one shared kitchen. However, a floor plan provides a much clearer picture of where those rooms are located and how the property is arranged.
This can help the council assess the application and understand the accommodation being provided.
A floor plan can also help identify potential issues before an application is submitted, such as:
Incorrect room measurements
Missing bedrooms
Unidentified communal areas
Missing bathrooms or toilets
An inaccurate number of floors
Changes to the property’s internal layout
Rooms that have been converted or divided
An accurate plan therefore gives the council a clearer representation of the property being licensed.
What Should an HMO Licence Floor Plan Include?
There is no single floor-plan format used by every council.
However, landlords should consider including the following information.
1. Every Floor of the Property
The plan should represent the complete HMO rather than showing only the ground floor.
If the property has a basement, ground floor, first floor, loft or other occupied levels, make sure the relevant areas are represented.
For example:
Ground Floor
Entrance
Hallway
Bedroom 1
Kitchen
Bathroom
Stairs
First Floor
Bedroom 2
Bedroom 3
Bathroom
Landing
Second Floor
Bedroom 4
Bedroom 5
Bathroom
Landing
The actual layout will depend on the property.
2. Room Names and Uses
Clearly identify how each room is being used.
For example:
Bedroom 1
Bedroom 2
Shared kitchen
Living room
Bathroom
WC
Utility room
Hallway
Landing
Storage room
This helps distinguish bedrooms from communal and service areas.
3. Room Dimensions
Room measurements can be particularly important when an HMO licence is being assessed.
Under the mandatory HMO licensing conditions in England, minimum sleeping-room floor areas apply to licensed HMOs. The Housing Act 2004 legislation specifies minimum areas for rooms occupied by one or two people and for children under 10. You can check the official legislation on GOV.UK.
However, landlords should not assume that these figures are the only space standards that apply.
A local authority may have additional requirements depending on the type of HMO and its licensing scheme.
For this reason, accurate measurements should be shown on the floor plan wherever required.
4. Doors and Openings
Show doors and other relevant openings on the plan.
This can help demonstrate how occupants move between rooms and areas of the property.
Where relevant, the plan should make entrances, exits and internal access routes clear.
5. Stairs and Landings
For multi-storey HMOs, stairs are an important part of the property’s layout.
Show:
Staircases
Landings
Access between floors
Relevant entrances and exits
This gives the council a better understanding of how the different levels connect.
6. Kitchens and Bathrooms
Shared facilities should be clearly identified.
Your HMO floor plan may show:
Kitchen
Cooking facilities
Sinks
Bathrooms
Showers
Toilets
En-suite facilities
The number and arrangement of facilities can be relevant to the suitability of the accommodation.
HMO Floor Plans and Bedroom Sizes
Bedroom sizes are one of the areas landlords should pay particular attention to when preparing an HMO floor plan.
For licensed HMOs in England, mandatory conditions include minimum sleeping-room floor areas. However, local authorities can have their own standards and licensing policies.
Some councils may apply higher standards depending on the type of HMO, the available communal accommodation and other factors.
Therefore, do not use national minimum figures as a substitute for checking your local council’s requirements.
When preparing your floor plan, make sure the dimensions shown accurately represent the actual room.
Should You Use an Old Estate Agent Floor Plan?
Not necessarily.
An estate-agent floor plan may have been created for marketing rather than licensing.
It might not contain all the information required by the local authority.
For example, an old marketing plan might not show:
Exact room dimensions
All relevant facilities
Current internal walls
Updated room use
Changes to doors
Altered bathrooms
New partitions
Converted rooms
If the property has changed since the original plan was produced, arrange an updated plan before using it for an HMO licence application.
You can also read our guide to Rental Property Floor Plans to understand how floor plans are used for rental properties.
What Happens If the Property Layout Has Changed?
Property layouts can change over time.
A landlord may convert a living room into a bedroom, add an en-suite bathroom, divide a large room or create a new internal partition.
If the floor plan still shows the old layout, it may no longer accurately represent the property.
Before submitting an HMO application, compare the floor plan with the actual property.
Check:
Number of bedrooms
Room dimensions
Bathrooms
Toilets
Kitchen
Doors
Windows
Stairs
Internal walls
Number of floors
Communal areas
Updating the plan can help ensure that the information supplied with the application reflects the current property.
HMO Licence Floor Plan and Fire Safety
A floor plan can help show the property’s layout, entrances, exits and circulation routes.
However, an HMO licensing floor plan should not be treated as a replacement for a professional fire-risk assessment or other fire-safety documentation where those are required.
The relevant council or fire authority may have additional requirements for the property.
Landlords should therefore check the specific documentation required for their HMO.
HMO Licence Requirements Can Vary by Council
The licensing process is not identical everywhere.
According to GOV.UK’s HMO licence guidance, large HMOs in England generally require a licence where five or more people from more than one household share facilities. Councils can also introduce additional licensing requirements for other HMOs in their areas.
This means landlords should check the licensing requirements of the relevant local authority before preparing their application.
The same principle applies to floor plans.
One council may request particular details or a particular format that another council does not.
How to Prepare Your HMO Floor Plan
Before submitting an application, work through this simple checklist.
HMO Floor Plan Checklist
Include every relevant floor
Identify every bedroom
Add room dimensions
Label kitchens
Label bathrooms and toilets
Show entrances and exits
Show doors and openings
Show staircases and landings
Identify communal areas
Show the current internal layout
Check that the plan matches the property
Check your local council’s application requirements
Taking these steps can help you identify missing information before submitting your HMO licence application.
Need a Professional HMO Floor Plan?
Preparing an accurate floor plan can be difficult if the property has multiple floors, several bedrooms or a complicated layout.
Urgent EPC’s professional floor plan service can help landlords arrange professional floor plans for properties across London.
A professionally prepared plan can provide a clear representation of the property’s current layout, rooms and measurements.
You can also check the available EPC and floor plan pricing before arranging a service.
HMO Floor Plans and EPCs
An HMO licence and an Energy Performance Certificate are different requirements.
An EPC relates to the energy performance of a property, while an HMO licence relates to licensing requirements for houses in multiple occupation.
If you are preparing an HMO for letting, it can therefore be useful to check both areas separately.
Our guide to EPC for HMO Properties in London explains the EPC considerations that HMO landlords should be aware of.
Final Thoughts
A clear and accurate HMO licence floor plan can make it easier for a council to understand the property’s layout during the licensing process.
The plan should reflect the current property and, where required, show room dimensions, facilities, entrances, exits, stairs, walls and other relevant features.
Because HMO licensing requirements can vary between local authorities, always check the requirements of the council where the property is located before submitting your application.
If you need a professional floor plan for an HMO or property licensing application, contact Urgent EPC to arrange a suitable floor plan service across London.
Useful Official Guidance
For current HMO licensing information, check the official GOV.UK HMO licence guidance.
You should also check your local council’s HMO licensing guidance before submitting an application.
