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What is HMO room sizes?
Last verified 31 October 2026
HMO room sizes are the minimum floor areas for sleeping rooms that apply as a mandatory condition of a licensed HMO in England. They were added by the Licensing of HMOs (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018, in force from 1 October 2018.
Why it matters to landlords
The minimums are: not less than 6.51 square metres for one person over 10, not less than 10.22 square metres for two people over 10, and not less than 4.64 square metres for one person under 10. A room smaller than 4.64 square metres must not be used as sleeping accommodation at all. Floor space under a ceiling lower than 1.5 metres is left out of the measurement.
Measure each bedroom before you apply for a licence, and again before you take on a new tenant, because a room that is fine for one person may not be allowed for two. Measure the usable floor area and record it with the date. The regulations also deal with maximum occupancy and household waste arrangements. Your council can add other licence conditions of its own, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use different standards.
Example
Sam has a room measuring 3.0 by 2.4 metres, which is 7.2 square metres, but a sloping ceiling means 0.9 square metres sits under a height of less than 1.5 metres. The usable area is 6.3 square metres, below 6.51, so it cannot be let to an adult as a bedroom.
Related terms
- HMO licence
- Mandatory HMO licensing
- HMO licence conditions
- HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)
- Additional licensing