What needs to be included in an HMO floor plan?

If you are a landlord of a multi-occupied property, or a property that you hope to make into a multi-occupied property, you will need to apply for an HMO licence from your local authority. This will require a floor plan, along with several other supporting documents or pieces of information.

HMO licence applications require a floor plan because it helps the local council to assess the property's suitability as an HMO. There are certain standards that must be met in order for your licence to be granted, and having a floor plan greatly aids this process because it enables the authority to assess the layout, rooms sizes, communal areas and fire escape route.

Today we're taking a look at what needs to be included on an HMO floor plan in order for them to effectively do this, so that your application has the best chance of going through smoothly. You may find that some councils have different requirements, so do always check your local authority's website for for submitting. However, almost all of them will require the points listed here as a minimum.

The property address

The designation of the property must be clearly marked on the document, to establish exactly what is being shown. The address and postcode are therefore always included, usually in the top right corner.

All rooms, correctly labelled

The floor plan should provide a complete map of the property, including every room and its use. Because HMO properties tend to have shared facilities, the boundaries for residents are often unclear and therefore the potential for tenants to lack necessary facilities arises. Clearly labelling all rooms on the floor plan helps the local authority to see which are the shared spaces that need to service everyone living there, and which are for individual parties. A good HMO floor plan should lay out these individual boundaries between private quarters and communal areas.

Stairs

The location of the stairs is a requirement to include. This helps the council to assess the exit and entry routes as they pertain to escaping in an emergency, such as a fire.

The floor level(s)

Similarly, you should note the floor levels (ground floor, first floor, second floor, etc) on the plan so that the council can assess its layout effectively, and establish proximity to certain features and amenities for all inhabitants.

Fire precautions

You must include the locations of fire safety precautions on your HMO floor plan, things like:

• A fire blanket

• Heat or smoke detectors

• Heat or smoke alarms

• Fire doors

• Fire extinguisher

• Break glass call point

• Emergency lighting

• Fire alarm control panel

• CCTV Cameras

  
  

With a higher number of unrelated occupants than an average property, there is generally greater risk of fire in HMOs. They are therefore subject to more stringent fire safety regulations and this means that you will usually have to install precautions such as fire extinguishers and fire alarms, but particular councils may call for specific measures such a sprinkler systems in certain situations.

Whatever the precautions you are required to implement (or are choosing to), make sure that they are captured on the floor plan. They help to establish whether the property will be safe for all tenants and in turn this benefits your application.

Size (overall, and by individual room)

You will likely be required to include approximate measurements for the gross internal area of the entire property. We usually do this in both square meters and square feet for ease.

As well as this, you should note the size of each individual room so that the amount of space being designated to individual parties and to the group of tenants as a whole is clear. This does not need to include hallways, or toilets and bathrooms, but must include all bedrooms and other communal areas such as the kitchen and living space.

It's worth noting that there are certain minimum bedrooms sizes that must be adhered to (the national standards are a minimum of 4.64 square metres for one child under ten, 6.51 square meters for one person over ten and 10.22 square metres for two people over ten). A room of under 4.64 square meters cannot be used as a bedroom and will instead need to be repurposed.

Scale

Typically, a scale will be required, and some local authorities will specify a scale that should be used (often 1:50).

Other inclusions

This is not an exhaustive list of everything that can be included in an HMO floor plan; there are other elements that can be included to better inform the local authority you are applying to about your property. This might mean including things like:

• Annotations about specific features, sometimes using abbreviations specified by the council (for example single or double glazed windows)

• The date that the plan was drawn up on and a drawing title that names the document

• An additional site plan that shows the property in relation to other buildings

  
  

In need of an HMO floor plan for your property? Get in touch with us today. Our team have been providing floor planning services to customers in the property market for many years, from basic scaled floor plans to Land Registry compliant title plans and lease plans. We are well versed in all things HMOs, and would be happy to guide you through the process of your HMO licensing application to help you make it as smooth and efficient as possible.