Before you rent out your property
Before you rent out your property there are certain requirements you must comply with in order to avoid the possibility of any legal action being taken against you. There are a number of elements you will need to ensure are in place before renting out your property, for example, permission from your mortgage or loan lender if required, and notifying your insurers.
Further information can be found here - Renting out your property: Landlord responsibilities - GOV.UK
Planning and building regulations
If you are extending or converting a house in to flats or multiple occupation (HMO) you may need to obtain planning permission. Many types of building work involving the structure of the house, drainage, the electrical installation, and replacement windows may also need to comply with regulations .
HMOs
If your property is a licensable HMO (three or more stories in height and occupied by five or more persons living as more than one household and sharing at least one amenity) then you must ensure it is licensed. The property must meet particular accommodation and management standards as conditions of the licence. If your property is a HMO but it is not licensable (fewer than three stories or fewer than five households) you will still need to adhere to the HMO management regulations. Similar property standards in terms of amenities, fire precautions and heating will be applied to non-licensable HMOs, which are actionable through the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) .
Inspection
We do not always have to inspect your property, but in some cases it could be necessary if your property is a HMO. If your property has been licensed as a HMO then we must inspect it within 5 years of the licence application date to assess whether there are any hazards in need of attention under the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) . How soon your property is inspected within that five year period will depend upon the degree of risk as assessed from the licence application details.
