Attention HMO landlords
The 10 most critical checks you as an HMO owner should be doing to avoid losing your licence from Liverpool Council
Let’s talk about managing your HMO
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I am an HMO owner myself — so I know what I’m talking about
See two of my HMOs below.
What our landlords are saying
“Noel HMO management has freed us from day to day operations so we can focus on finding more properties.”
Olimpo Garcia
“Now I have peace of mind when I think about my HMOs — Noel’s agency has everything under control. If I have inspections from the council I know everything is ok. I can breathe.”
David Baracaldo
What our tenants are saying
These are the checks a Liverpool HMO licence actually depends on. Noel runs his own HMOs in the city, has been inspected, and has had to replace fire doors that were installed wrongly by a builder who should have known better. This is the list he works to — and the reason it is worth an hour of your attention is at the top of it.
Why this is worth an hour of your time
In June 2024 a fire started in a Sheffield flat at about four in the morning. Around eleven people were inside and could not get out. When the fire service arrived, one firefighter fell through a staircase that collapsed under him.
The landlord went through roughly two years of proceedings and was sentenced to six months in prison, 250 hours of community service and £10,000 in costs — and that was without anybody being injured. Had a tenant been hurt, it would have been considerably worse. There were no fire systems in place, which also means no insurance claim.
That is Noel’s account of the case as he gives it in the video. The point he draws from it is the one worth keeping: the systems are not paperwork, and the licence is not the reason to do them.
Liverpool is actively looking
Liverpool Council launched a pilot task force to tackle rogue landlords — on Noel’s account, a team of around a hundred people specifically looking for landlords who are not complying with regulations or licensing.
Whether you do these checks yourself or your agent does them, the licence holder is the one who answers for them. Knowing what needs doing is not delegable even when the doing is.
Keep the records, and keep them electronically
Every one of these checks is only worth what you can evidence. Keep the log electronically rather than on paper — a phone is enough, and it survives a change of agent, a change of manager and an unannounced inspection.
If you own several HMOs, delegate the doing. But audit it: know what should have happened, and check that it did.
The ten checks, and how often
| Check | How often |
|---|---|
| Fire panel check | Monthly |
| Emergency lighting check | Monthly, plus an annual test |
| Fire door inspection | Regularly — they fail by being wedged, painted or wrongly fitted |
| PAT testing of appliances | Annually |
| Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) | Every 5 years, shorter on some properties |
| Fire risk assessment | Every 3 years |
| Gas Safe certificate and boiler service | Annually |
| Fire extinguisher servicing | Annually |
| Smoke detector testing | Regularly, and logged |
| Property health check | Quarterly |
Common questions
What happens if I lose my HMO licence?
You cannot legally operate the property as an HMO, which means the income stops while the situation is put right. Beyond that, operating an unlicensed HMO exposes you to a financial penalty and to a rent repayment order, under which a tenant or the council can reclaim up to twelve months of rent already paid. The licence is not the only thing at stake — an uninsurable property is worse.
Who is responsible if my letting agent misses a check?
You are. The licence is held by the licence holder and the duties sit with them, whoever physically carries out the work. A good agent does the checks and gives you the records; it remains your job to know what should be happening and to confirm that it did. That is why the list above is published rather than kept in-house.
How often does a fire risk assessment need renewing on an HMO?
Every three years is the working interval Noel uses across his own portfolio and the one this agency applies. It should also be reviewed sooner if the building changes materially — a conversion, a new layout, or a change in who is living there. Requirements vary by council and by property, so confirm yours with the local authority.
My builder installed the fire doors. Is that enough?
Not on its own. Noel has had to replace fire doors in his own properties because they were installed incorrectly in the first place. A fire door only works as a system — the door, the frame, the intumescent strips, the closer and the gaps all have to be right, and a door that has been wedged open or painted over has stopped being one. Inspect them rather than assume them.
Do I need all of this if my HMO is small?
Mandatory licensing applies in England at five or more occupants from two or more households, but fire safety duties do not begin at that threshold — they follow from the building and who lives in it. Liverpool and the Wirral have also operated additional and selective licensing schemes covering smaller properties, and the designated areas change. Check your specific address with the council rather than assuming the mandatory threshold is the whole picture.
Licensing designations and inspection intervals vary by council and change over time. Confirm the position for your specific address with the local authority.
I know how difficult it is to run an HMO
Let me share a secret with you: I manage my own HMOs because I have yet to find an agency I can trust to keep them compliant with all the necessary checks.
I take a hands-on approach because I have learned from experience — working with the local council, dealing with issues such as tenant evictions, and more. You name it, I’ve faced it.
I know that HMOs are challenging to manage. But throughout my journey I have developed systems to stay organised and make sure I never overlook any important action required to keep these valuable assets in optimal condition.
I’ve encountered rogue agencies and individuals who want to “earn without making an effort”, leaving landlords overwhelmed by the problems those mediocre agencies create.
As an HMO landlord I understand your needs: peace of mind to enjoy your life while your HMOs generate the cash flow that allows you to do so. Let’s have a conversation if you need someone to manage your HMOs.
Book my 30-minute call