HMO Management Regulations 2006: The Manager's Duties

The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 set out what whoever manages an HMO must do. They apply whether or not the HMO is licensed. Most of the duties are outcomes ("kept in good repair", "free from obstruction"), not specifications. This guide goes through them regulation by regulation.

Correct as at 13 October 2026, against legislation.gov.uk.

Which HMOs they cover

The regulations apply to any HMO in England other than a converted block of flats to which section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 applies (reg 1). A s.257 HMO is a building converted into self-contained flats where the conversion did not meet the building standards and less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. For whether a property is an HMO at all, see the HMO licence guide.

Regulation 3: the manager's details

The manager must make their name, address and any telephone contact number available to each household in the HMO, and display them clearly in a prominent position in the HMO.

Regulation 4: fire and safety

• 4(1) All means of escape from fire must be kept free from obstruction and maintained in good order and repair.
• 4(2) Any firefighting equipment and fire alarms must be maintained in good working order.
• 4(3) Notices showing the location of the means of escape must be displayed where all occupiers can clearly see them, except where the HMO has four or fewer occupiers (4(6)).
• 4(4) The manager must take all measures reasonably required to protect occupiers from injury, having regard to the design of the HMO, its structural conditions and the number of occupiers.
• 4(5) In particular, an unsafe roof or balcony must be made safe or access to it prevented. A window whose sill is at or near floor level must have bars or other safeguards.

Regulation 4 does not name a fire-door rating, an alarm grade or a number of extinguishers. Those come from guidance and from your council's licence conditions, not from the regulations themselves.

Regulation 5: water supply and drainage

The water supply and drainage system must be maintained in good, clean and working condition. Water storage tanks and cisterns must be kept clean and covered, and fittings liable to frost damage must be protected. The manager must not unreasonably cause or permit the water or drainage supply to be interrupted.

Regulation 6: gas and electricity

• The manager must give the council the latest gas appliance test certificate within 7 days of a written request (6(1)).
• Every fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years by a qualified person. The manager must obtain a certificate and supply it to the council within 7 days of a written request (6(3)).
• The manager must not unreasonably cause the gas or electricity supply to be interrupted (6(4)).

Regulation 7: the shared areas

The common parts must be kept in good and clean decorative repair, in a safe and working condition, and reasonably clear of obstruction. In particular:

• handrails and banisters kept in good repair, with more added where needed for safety;
• stair coverings safely fixed and in good repair;
• windows and ventilation in the common parts kept in good repair;
• adequate light fittings in the common parts, available to every occupier at all times;
• fixtures, fittings and appliances shared by two or more households kept in good, safe repair and clean working order.

Shared outbuildings, yards and forecourts must be kept in repair and good order, any garden kept safe and tidy, and boundary walls and fences kept safe. "Common parts" includes the entrance door to the HMO and to each unit, and every staircase, passage, hall and landing used to reach them.

Regulation 8: each occupier's accommodation

Each unit of living accommodation, and any furniture supplied with it, must be clean at the start of a person's occupation. During the occupation, the internal structure must be kept in good repair, the fixtures, fittings and appliances in good repair and clean working order, and every window and means of ventilation in good repair.

The manager is not required to repair damage caused by an occupier using their accommodation otherwise than in a tenant-like manner.

Regulation 9: waste

The manager must provide enough bins or other suitable receptacles for each household's refuse and litter, and make any further arrangements for its disposal that are needed, having regard to the council's collection service.

Regulation 10: the occupiers' duties

The duties also run the other way. Every occupier must:

• not hinder or frustrate the manager in carrying out these duties;
• let the manager in at reasonable times for any purpose connected with them;
• give the manager information reasonably required for them;
• take reasonable care not to damage anything the manager must supply, maintain or repair;
• store and dispose of litter in line with the manager's arrangements; and
• follow the manager's reasonable instructions on fire escape, fire prevention and fire equipment.

What a breach costs

Failing to comply with the regulations is an offence under Housing Act 2004 s.234(3). Having a reasonable excuse is a defence (s.234(4)).

• On conviction: a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (s.234(5)). Since 12 March 2015 that means an unlimited fine, because of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 s.85. Correct as at 13 October 2026.
• Instead of prosecution: a s.234 breach is a relevant housing offence, so the council can impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000 (s.249A(2) and (4), since 1 May 2026). Once a penalty is imposed for the conduct, there can be no prosecution for the same conduct. Correct as at 13 October 2026.

Keeping dated evidence

Most of these duties are about condition kept over time. "Escape routes clear" is true on the day you check it. The useful record is a dated history of checks, not a single tick.

LetSorted keeps dated checks for escape routes and fire equipment, the shared areas, water and drainage, waste, and the manager's details on display. Each new date is added to the history, never written over it. See the HMO records LetSorted keeps. Those records show what you checked and when. They do not certify that the property complies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the HMO management regulations apply to every HMO?

They apply to any HMO in England other than a converted block of flats to which section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 applies (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, reg 1). They apply whether or not the HMO is licensed. Correct as at 13 October 2026.

Do I have to display fire escape notices in a small HMO?

Not where the HMO has four or fewer occupiers. The duty to display notices showing the means of escape from fire (reg 4(3)) does not apply in that case (reg 4(6)). Keeping escape routes clear and fire equipment working (reg 4(1)–(2)) applies to every HMO the regulations cover. Correct as at 13 October 2026.

How often must the electrics in an HMO be tested?

Every fixed electrical installation must be inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding five years by a qualified person, and the manager must supply the certificate to the council within 7 days of a written request (reg 6(3)). Correct as at 13 October 2026.

What is the penalty for breaching the HMO management regulations?

Failing to comply without a reasonable excuse is an offence under Housing Act 2004 s.234, punishable by an unlimited fine. Instead of prosecuting, the council can impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000 (s.249A, since 1 May 2026). Correct as at 13 October 2026.