A ‘house in multiple occupation’ (HMO), often known as a ‘house share’, is a rented property with three or more tenants (this can include student tenants) from different households who share common facilities such as the bathroom and kitchen.
For the purposes of HMOs, a ‘household’ is defined as a single person, or members of the same family living in the same property. You can find out more about HMOs and how to apply for a licence at GOV.UK and read more about licensing in our guide, ‘What is licensing - and do I need a landlord licence to let my property?'.
For more detailed guidance on HMOs and student lets, see our 'Ultimate guide to letting an HMO property’ and our ‘Ultimate landlord guide to student properties’.
HMO landlord insurance is a type of insurance which is tailored to provide specialist cover for landlords who are letting an HMO, often to multiple tenants from different households. Specific requirements and different risks can apply to HMOs, and these may not be covered by a standard landlord insurance policy. Our HMO landlord insurance is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of HMO landlords.
It covers all HMOs, from small and large HMO properties to student accommodation. And multiple properties can be included under a single property. Having specialised HMO landlord insurance covers you against financial losses suffered in connection with an HMO rental property. It protects the building itself and related risks such as injury or loss suffered by a tenant because of a fault with the building.
HMO landlords often find that some insurers will not protect their property, in some cases not even offering a quotation, or increasing premiums for HMO properties
At Total Landlord Insurance we recognise that some of the risks associated with HMO properties are no greater than a single occupancy property.
We also understand that not all HMO properties are the same, so we have negotiated preferential rates depending on how the facilities are shared. For example, where the kitchen facilities are shared by all occupants and there is no cooking in the rooms.
This means if you take out your landlord insurance with Total Landlord - whether with an Essential or Premier policy - you can rest assured knowing your property is in safe hands.
Read ‘The ultimate guide to letting an HMO property’ for detailed guidance on being an HMO landlord.
