By Mark Higgins, Managing Director, Atlantic Keys Ltd
Managing a shared house involves more than collecting rent. With several people sharing kitchens, bathrooms and communal spaces, small maintenance problems can affect everyone living there.
For HMO landlords across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall, these five checks provide a useful starting point for keeping a property organised and well maintained.
1. Check your licensing position
A shared property can be an HMO even if it has fewer than five occupants. Broadly, the definition includes properties occupied by at least three people from more than one household who share facilities.
Mandatory licensing generally applies to HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities, subject to exemptions. Smaller HMOs may also require a licence under a council’s additional licensing scheme.
Check the requirements for the property’s location, and review any existing licence conditions before changing occupancy or the property’s layout. Read the Government’s HMO guidance.
2. Keep escape routes clear
Bicycles, furniture and rubbish can quickly build up in shared hallways. Escape routes must remain accessible, and landlords must meet the applicable fire-safety requirements. Government safety guidance.
Our practical advice is to make communal-area checks part of your management routine. Look for obstructions, damaged doors and reported alarm faults, and arrange appropriate professional assessment where needed.
3. Keep safety records organised
Where applicable, landlord-provided gas appliances and flues need an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Electrical installations and supplied appliances must also be safe. Read the landlord safety responsibilities.
Keep inspection reports, certificates and evidence of completed remedial work together. Diary the next required checks and follow up outstanding actions—a report identifying a problem is only the start of resolving it.
4. Investigate damp and maintenance reports promptly
A tenant reporting mould, a ceiling stain or a persistent leak gives you an opportunity to investigate before the problem becomes more disruptive.
Record what has been reported, arrange an appropriate inspection and keep the tenant informed. Avoid assuming the cause before it has been assessed.
For shared properties, make sure someone takes responsibility for following each repair through to completion.
5. Make communication straightforward
Tenants should know how to report a repair, who to contact in an emergency and what to expect when work is arranged.
Clear communication is particularly useful when contractors need access to several rooms or a repair affects shared facilities. Keep a record of appointments, updates and any further work required.
Local HMO management support
Atlantic Keys Ltd supports HMO landlords with rent collection, tenant communication, inspections, maintenance coordination and compliance support.
Whether you manage one shared house or a portfolio, we can discuss the property and explain how our service could help.
Explore our HMO management service.
Call: 01752 921700
Email: hello@atlantic-keys.co.uk
This article is a practical overview, not a complete compliance checklist. Requirements depend on the property, its occupation and applicable licence conditions.