About HMO
From 1st October 2018, it is mandatory for landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) occupied by five or more people from different households to obtain an HMO licence. Operating an HMO without a licence is a criminal offence and can result in prosecution with unlimited fines.
Further guidance for landlords and managers is available in IBC’s HMO Handbook (PDF).
Planning permission
Planning permission is required for converting a property into an HMO for more than six unrelated individuals. This does not apply if the property is within the Article 4 Direction Area, where planning permission is required for HMOs with three or more unrelated individuals. For planning permission, contact Development Management at Ipswich Borough Council by emailing DM@ipswich.gov.uk.
You are also advised that the carrying out of building works and/or a change of use requires approval under the Building Regulations in many cases. If you are in doubt as to whether or not the work/change of use, the subject of this application, requires such approval, then you are invited to contact the Building Control section at Ipswich Borough Council on email: building.control@ipswich.gov.uk or on telephone number: 01473 432951.
For planning application forms, visit the Planning Portal.
Licence fees
The full licence fee for a House in Multiple Occupation is £126 per unit of accommodation. A unit of accommodation is a room that you use or intend to use as sleeping accommodation. This includes bedrooms and living or dining rooms that, without alterations, are being used or you intend to use as bedrooms.
As an example, if your property has six bedrooms and a lounge and dining room that you are or intend to be used as bedrooms, your fee will be £1008, i.e. £126 x 8 rooms.
From 1st October 2020 this Council will be changing the way applicants pay their licence fee, from a single full payment at the point of application to a two-part payment process. The new process is as follows:
- The Part 1 fee will be £53 per unit of accommodation and must be paid when the application is made
- Part 2 of the fee will be £73 per unit of accommodation and must be paid when the notice of intention to grant a licence is received and must be paid within 14 days of receiving the notice.
As a result of the above, an application is not duly made until both fees are paid. If the Part 2 payment is not received within the 14 days the licence will not be issued. The applicant will then need to start a new application which must again be accompanied by a Part 1 payment.
As an example, if your property has six bedrooms and a lounge and dining room that you are or intend to be used as bedrooms, your total fee will still be £1008, i.e., £126 x 8 rooms but the fees will be automatically calculated as follows.
- Part 1 fee = £424, i.e., £53 x 8 rooms
- Part 2 fee = £584, i.e., £ 73 x 8 rooms
The Part 2 fee is not payable if IBC are proposing to refuse to grant the licence.
Variations
A variation is required in situations such as:
- Where there is a change of address for the licence holder.
- Where the manager (who is not the licence holder) changes.
- Where there is a change in the maximum number of occupants at the HMO.
- Where the number of rooms at the HMO changes.
Licence holders are responsible for informing the Council that a variation is required. Failure to notify the Council of relevant changes constitutes a breach of the licence conditions.
Apply online
You can apply for a new or renewed HMO licence by clicking the relevant button below.
Please note that both buttons will open in a new window.