Doncaster Council

Current legislation

As of 6th April 2006, all landlords and property managing agents who let large houses in multiple(HMO) occupation need to apply for an HMO licence. From 6th July 2006 landlords and agents who fail to apply for a licence may face fines of up to £20,000, a criminal record and potentially, rent repayment orders.   
In Doncaster, properties of three or more floors, with five or more tenants belonging to two or more households are required by law to be licensed. 

If you are a landlord whose HMOs were already registered under the Registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation Control Scheme 2001, which was in force before 6th April and your property meets the criteria for licensing, you will be passported into the HMO Licensing Scheme. You do not have to do anything at the moment. We will write to you with details of your new licence which will run until your registration would have ended. If your registration was due to end within the next six months we will also send you an application form for a licence.

If your properties were registered under the Registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation Control Scheme 2001, and your HMO does not meet the criteria for licensing, your registration will no longer apply and you will not have to apply for a licence. However, you still need to abide by HMO management regulations which ensure that properties are managed properly on a day-to-day basis.

We will grant you a licence if we are satisfied that: 

• the proposed licence holder (which can be the landlord or managing agent) are ‘fit and proper’ people
  
• the property and the tenancy are managed appropriately 
  
• the accommodation meets all minimum standards such as sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents 
  
• Licences will be issued with certain conditions attached, such as: 
  
  1. If gas is supplied to the house, to produce to Doncaster Council, annually for their inspection, a gas safety certificate obtained in respect of the house within the last 12 months
     
  2. To keep electrical appliances and furniture, made available by the licence holder in the house, in a safe condition
     
  3. To supply Doncaster Council, on demand, with a declaration by the licence holder as to the safety of the appliances and furniture detailed in condition 2
     
  4. To ensure that smoke alarms are installed in the house and to keep them in proper working order
     
  5. To supply Doncaster Council, on demand, with a declaration by the licence holder as to the condition and positioning of the smoke alarms detailed in condition 4
     
  6. The licence holder to supply to the occupiers of the house a written statement of the terms on which they occupy it      

To contact us directly email PrivateSector.housing@doncaster.gov.uk or call 01302 737591

If you do not have the facility to print an application form, please request one using the following electronic form:

eform: HMO Licensing Application Form Request

An application form can be downloaded below.

Leaflets giving advice to Landlords, Managers and Tenants can be downloaded below.

• HMO Licensing Application Form
• HMO Licensing Application Guidance Notes
• HMO Licensing guide for Landlords and Managers
• HMO Licensing guide for Tenants