HMO landlords: prepare for new rules

The government is cracking down on overcrowded house shares. If you're an HMO landlord, make sure you’re up to date.

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The new rules specify minimum space requirements
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A property is a HMO if at least three tenants live there, from more than one household (so, a house-share rather than a family); they share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities with other tenants; at least one tenant pays rent. As it stands, a HMO requires a licence if it is occupied by five or more people and has three storeys or more.

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Emma Lunn

Emma Lunn is a multi-award-winning journalist who specialises in personal finance and consumer issues. With more than 18 years’ experience in personal finance, Emma has covered topics including mortgages, first-time buyers, leasehold, banking, debt, budgeting, broadband, energy, pensions and investments. Emma’s one of the most prolific freelance personal finance journalists with a back catalogue of work in newspapers such as The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, the Mail on Sunday and the Mirror. As a freelancer she has also completed various in-house contracts at The Guardian, The Independent, Mortgage Solutions, Orange and Moneywise. 

She also writes regularly for specialist magazines and websites such as Property Hub, Mortgage Strategy and YourMoney.com. She’s particularly proud of her work writing about the leasehold sector and a Guardian front-page story about a dodgy landlord. She has a real passion for helping people learn about money – especially when many people are struggling to get by in today’s challenging economic climate – and prides herself on simplifying complex subjects.