A house in multiple occupation is defined as a property occupied by three or more people from two or more separate households who share facilities such as a bathroom or kitchen. In Hull, with its large student population centred around the University of Hull and a well-established private rental market, HMOs are common across postcodes including HU5, HU6, and HU3.

The communal areas of an HMO — shared hallways, stairways, landings, and kitchens — are classified as non-domestic premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This means the responsible person, which in an HMO is almost always the landlord or their managing agent, must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering those shared areas.

Since October 2023, following amendments introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022, all fire risk assessments must be recorded in writing regardless of the size of the property or number of occupants. Every HMO landlord in Hull now needs a written fire risk assessment, full stop.

Hull City Council requires evidence of a current, written fire risk assessment as a mandatory condition of granting or renewing an HMO licence. A property operating as an HMO without a valid licence is committing a criminal offence, and the council actively pursues unlicensed HMO operators.

Hull City Council operates a mandatory HMO licensing scheme for all properties occupied by five or more people forming two or more households. The council also operates an additional licensing scheme covering smaller HMOs in certain designated areas of Hull.

As part of the licensing conditions, Hull City Council requires landlords to maintain fire safety measures and to provide a current fire risk assessment. The council’s licensing officers can take enforcement action against landlords who fail to meet licensing conditions — including civil penalties of up to £30,000 and rent repayment orders.

Our fire risk assessment reports are structured to clearly address the fire safety conditions typically imposed by Hull City Council as part of HMO licensing. You receive a written report in a format that licensing officers can review quickly and that demonstrates compliance with the relevant standards, including the LACORS Housing Fire Safety guidance.

If you are applying for a new HMO licence or renewing an existing one, a local assessor can carry out your fire risk assessment and provide a report suitable for submission to Hull City Council.

The responsible person in an HMO is almost always the landlord. If a managing agent is appointed, the responsibility can be shared, but it cannot be transferred away entirely — the landlord retains personal liability for compliance.

Failure to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 can result in enforcement notices and prosecution by Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, with unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment. Separately, failure to meet HMO licensing conditions can result in civil penalties from Hull City Council of up to £30,000.

There is also a specific risk for HMO landlords around insurance. Most landlord insurance policies include a fire safety compliance clause — if a fire occurs and the insurer can demonstrate the property did not have a current, written fire risk assessment, the policy may be voided and any claim refused.

Beyond the legal and financial consequences, a fire in an HMO puts tenants at serious risk. Shared kitchens and communal escape routes are statistically the most dangerous environments in the residential sector — which is why the law rightly places a clear duty on landlords to manage those risks.