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What is Management order?
Last verified 31 October 2026
A management order is an order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 by which a local housing authority takes over the management of a house. The first step is usually an interim management order, which section 102 of the Act describes.
Why it matters to landlords
The council must make an interim management order for an HMO or other house that needs a licence but does not have one, where it considers the house is unlikely to be licensed in the near future or the health and safety condition is met. The same duty applies to a licensed house whose licence is being revoked, where licensing will not be possible after revocation or the health and safety condition will be met then.
In other cases the council may make one only with the tribunal's authorisation, for example for an HMO that does not need a licence where the health and safety condition is met. A council may also use one for property let in breach of a banning order. The authority can leave out any part of the house occupied by someone who holds an interest in the whole house. The section does not set out how long an interim order lasts or what the council does once in control, so read the later sections if you receive one.
Example
Karen's unlicensed seven-person HMO in Hull has repeated hazards and she has made no licence application after three letters. The council considers licensing unlikely in the near future and makes an interim management order, taking over the management of the house.