HMO Fact Sheet

A licence may be revoked with the agreement of the licence holder, such as when a house ceases to be an HMO. It is also ends automatically after 5 years, or after the period specified in the licence (if that is different).

A licence ceases to be in force on the death of a licence holder and for the first three months following the death of that person no licence is required as if a temporary exemption notice (see para 14 below) had been issued and was in force. Unless the HMO ceases to be licensable within that period or the Council grants a temporary exemption notice on the expiry of that period the HMO must be relicensed or an Interim Management Order made in respect of it.

Other than in those circumstances, a licence may only be revoked if:

• there has been a significant breach of the licence conditions;
• or the licence holder and others involved in the management of the house are no longer fit and proper persons;
• or the property ceases to be an HMO that is subject to licensing;
• or if the Council would not have granted a new licence for the HMO at the time it terminates the licence because of reasons relating to the structure of the HMO which render the property unsuitable for licensing on similar terms.

On revocation of a licence (unless this is because the HMO no longer requires to be licensed) the Council must grant another licence or make an Interim Management Order.