Part one: HMOs created

HMO legislation has been a hot topic in parliamentary discussion over the past year or two with more changes arriving during these last then during its entire existence. This series intends to trace the movements and developments of HMO licensing in parliaments and popular discussion.

When were HMOs initially introduced?

The first HMO legislation came out of the 1985 Housing Act. Its defining criteria was based solely on the idea that when people were living together from more than one household (family) then the home would be described as House in Multiple Occupation.

HMOs came about after the recognition of the growing private rented sector and a need to ensure that those properties were safe and not overcrowded.