Britain today · Housing

Houses in multiple occupation

Shared houses and flats are defined and counted in several different ways in England. Each count answers a different question, and none of them is the number of HMOs.

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1 · What counts as an HMO?

7 definitions, drawn in different places

Housing law, planning, licensing, Section 257, council tax and the Census each draw the line in a different place. A property can be an HMO under one and not under another.

  • Housing law

    HMO under the Housing Act 2004 (section 254)

    A home shared by 3 or more people who form 2 or more households (a household is one person or a family) and who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. It can be a house, a flat or a converted building, and it must be their main home.

    Counts
    Buildings meeting the standard, self-contained flat or converted building tests, plus section 257 blocks and buildings declared HMOs.
    Does not count
    Buildings listed in Schedule 14 (for example council or housing association homes, owner plus up to 2 lodgers, some student halls, care homes).

    Legal source: Housing Act 2004, s254

  • Planning

    Planning use: Class C4 (small HMO) and sui generis (large HMO)

    For planning, a home lived in by 3 to 6 unrelated people who share basic amenities is Class C4. With more than 6 people it falls outside any use class ("sui generis") and always needs planning permission. In Portsmouth a citywide Article 4 Direction means changing a family house (C3) to C4 also needs permission.

    Counts
    Lawful planning use of a property, decided through planning applications and certificates of lawfulness.
    Does not count
    Whether a property is licensed or safe. Section 257 converted blocks are excluded from C4.

    Legal source: Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, Schedule Part C, Class C4 (inserted by SI 2010/653)

  • Mandatory licensing

    Mandatory HMO licence (national)

    Any HMO with 5 or more people forming 2 or more households must have a council licence, anywhere in England. Since 1 October 2018 the number of storeys does not matter.

    Counts
    HMOs of the prescribed description: 5+ occupiers, 2+ households, meeting the standard, self-contained flat (not purpose-built in a block of 3+) or converted building test.
    Does not count
    Smaller HMOs (3 or 4 people), which need a licence only where a council runs additional licensing.

    Legal source: Housing Act 2004 s55(2)(a); Licensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, art. 4

  • Additional licensing

    Additional HMO licence (local scheme)

    A council can require smaller HMOs to be licensed too, in all or part of its area, for up to 5 years. Portsmouth's citywide scheme runs from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2028 and covers HMOs of 3 or more people in 2 or more households, plus mainly tenanted section 257 buildings.

    Counts
    HMOs in the designated area that are not already covered by mandatory licensing.
    Does not count
    Areas or HMO types outside the designation. Schemes differ by council, so additional-licence counts are not comparable between areas.

    Legal source: Housing Act 2004, s56; Portsmouth designation made 22 Nov 2022

  • Section 257

    Section 257 HMO (converted block of flats)

    A building converted into self-contained flats where the conversion did not meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. The licence is for the building; individual flats may need their own HMO licence as well.

    Counts
    Whole converted buildings meeting the s257 test. In Portsmouth, only mainly or wholly tenanted s257 buildings are in the additional-licensing scheme.
    Does not count
    Purpose-built blocks or conversions that meet the 1991 standard.

    Legal source: Housing Act 2004, s257

  • Council tax

    Council tax: owner-liable HMO (Class C)

    For council tax, the owner rather than the tenants pays on a dwelling built or adapted for people who are not one household, or where each tenant rents only part of it, or which is an HMO.

    Counts
    Who is liable for council tax on a dwelling.
    Does not count
    Planning status or licensing. Council-tax HMO flags are not published as an HMO count.

    Legal source: Council Tax (Liability for Owners) Regulations 1992, reg. 2, Class C

  • Census

    Census 2021 HMO dwelling (ONS RM192)

    ONS counts a dwelling as an HMO when at least 3 unrelated people forming more than one household rent it from a private landlord and share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen. Small = 3 or 4 unrelated tenants; large = 5 or more.

    Counts
    Occupied dwellings on Census Day, 21 March 2021, classified from Census responses; the same rule applies to every area.
    Does not count
    Licensing or planning status; changes since March 2021. Small counts are perturbed for confidentiality.

    Legal source: ONS RM192 dimension "dwelling_hmo_unrelated" definition

2 · How many are there?

Three national numbers, three different measures

Each sentence below carries its measure. None of them is a count of all HMOs in England today.

Different methods. The Census applies one rule to every home on one day in 2021. The council estimate is each council's own best guess, made its own way. The licence count covers mandatory licences only. Do not add these together, subtract one from another or read them as a trend.

  • 458,855 HMOs estimated by English councils at March 2025.
  • 175,661 dwellings identified as HMOs in Census 2021.
  • 95,217 mandatory HMO licences reported in LAHS at March 2025.

458,855

Sum of council estimates of all HMOs (LAHS f8a), 295 of 296 English councils

England31 March 2025Estimate

Not the same as: a count of all HMOs in England. Each council uses its own estimation method.

Local Authority Housing Statistics open data 1978-79 to 2024-25 (items f8a, f9a, f10a)

175,661

Census 2021 HMO dwellings (small + large), sum of 309 English LAs

England21 March 2021Outturn

Not the same as: a current total. 0.705% of all dwellings; a fixed 2021 benchmark.

Census 2021 RM192: number of dwellings that are HMOs (edition 2021, version 2)

95,217

Dwellings with a mandatory HMO licence (LAHS f10a), 289 of 296 English councils

England31 March 2025Administrative count

Not the same as: all HMO licences. Excludes additional and selective licences; 7 councils did not report a figure.

Local Authority Housing Statistics open data 1978-79 to 2024-25 (items f8a, f9a, f10a)

Coverage of the council figures. There is no England row in the LAHS open data, so the England figures are sums of the councils that reported: 295 of 296 councils for the estimate of all HMOs, 283 of 296 for the estimate of mandatory-licensable HMOs, and 289 of 296 for mandatory licences. Councils that did not report a figure are left out, not counted as zero. Not published for mandatory licences: Croydon, East Cambridgeshire, Lincoln, Preston, Telford and Wrekin, Tewkesbury, West Berkshire.

3 · Where are they most common?

Oxford is first of 309 English councils on the Census measure

Census 2021 is the only national source that applies one definition everywhere. On it, 0.705% of dwellings in England were HMOs. Oxford was highest at 4.517%; Southampton ranked 20th and Portsmouth 26th of 309.

HMO dwellings as a share of all dwellings, by council, Census 2021

Share of dwellings (fifths of councils)

  • Under 0.07%
  • 0.07% to under 0.13%
  • 0.13% to under 0.24%
  • 0.24% to under 0.75%
  • 0.75% and over
  • Portsmouth (outlined)

Hover over or tab to a council to see its share. England overall: 0.705%.

Skip the map to the ranked tableAdur, South East: 0.174% of dwellings were HMOs (50 of 28,689), ranked 147th of 309.Allerdale, North West: 0.062% of dwellings were HMOs (30 of 48,438), ranked 263rd of 309.Amber Valley, East Midlands: 0.053% of dwellings were HMOs (31 of 58,812), ranked 271st of 309.Arun, South East: 0.263% of dwellings were HMOs (202 of 76,726), ranked 115th of 309.Ashfield, East Midlands: 0.083% of dwellings were HMOs (47 of 56,686), ranked 241st of 309.Ashford, South East: 0.196% of dwellings were HMOs (111 of 56,653), ranked 136th of 309.Babergh, East of England: 0.050% of dwellings were HMOs (21 of 41,844), ranked 279th of 309.Barking and Dagenham, London: 0.387% of dwellings were HMOs (298 of 76,956), ranked 94th of 309.Barnet, London: 0.976% of dwellings were HMOs (1,524 of 156,147), ranked 54th of 309.Barnsley, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.084% of dwellings were HMOs (96 of 113,625), ranked 237th of 309.Barrow-in-Furness, North West: 0.094% of dwellings were HMOs (32 of 34,172), ranked 220th of 309.Basildon, East of England: 0.158% of dwellings were HMOs (125 of 79,344), ranked 159th of 309.Basingstoke and Deane, South East: 0.237% of dwellings were HMOs (187 of 79,062), ranked 124th of 309.Bassetlaw, East Midlands: 0.046% of dwellings were HMOs (25 of 54,369), ranked 286th of 309.Bath and North East Somerset, South West: 2.467% of dwellings were HMOs (2,075 of 84,109), ranked 17th of 309.Bedford, East of England: 0.332% of dwellings were HMOs (260 of 78,219), ranked 102nd of 309.Bexley, London: 0.346% of dwellings were HMOs (344 of 99,313), ranked 98th of 309.Birmingham, West Midlands: 0.925% of dwellings were HMOs (4,128 of 446,291), ranked 56th of 309.Blaby, East Midlands: 0.069% of dwellings were HMOs (30 of 43,635), ranked 255th of 309.Blackburn with Darwen, North West: 0.047% of dwellings were HMOs (29 of 62,232), ranked 285th of 309.Blackpool, North West: 0.134% of dwellings were HMOs (97 of 72,652), ranked 182nd of 309.Bolsover, East Midlands: 0.094% of dwellings were HMOs (35 of 37,244), ranked 219th of 309.Bolton, North West: 0.093% of dwellings were HMOs (117 of 126,096), ranked 222nd of 309.Boston, East Midlands: 0.240% of dwellings were HMOs (74 of 30,892), ranked 122nd of 309.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, South West: 1.099% of dwellings were HMOs (2,046 of 186,221), ranked 48th of 309.Bracknell Forest, South East: 0.269% of dwellings were HMOs (141 of 52,495), ranked 114th of 309.Bradford, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.115% of dwellings were HMOs (252 of 219,762), ranked 196th of 309.Braintree, East of England: 0.102% of dwellings were HMOs (68 of 66,801), ranked 208th of 309.Breckland, East of England: 0.098% of dwellings were HMOs (62 of 63,154), ranked 214th of 309.Brent, London: 1.646% of dwellings were HMOs (2,105 of 127,861), ranked 33rd of 309.Brentwood, East of England: 0.085% of dwellings were HMOs (29 of 34,242), ranked 236th of 309.Brighton and Hove, South East: 2.937% of dwellings were HMOs (3,843 of 130,838), ranked 14th of 309.Bristol, South West: 3.404% of dwellings were HMOs (6,904 of 202,815), ranked 8th of 309.Broadland, East of England: 0.047% of dwellings were HMOs (28 of 59,870), ranked 284th of 309.Bromley, London: 0.229% of dwellings were HMOs (325 of 142,083), ranked 128th of 309.Bromsgrove, West Midlands: 0.040% of dwellings were HMOs (17 of 42,733), ranked 297th of 309.Broxbourne, East of England: 0.099% of dwellings were HMOs (41 of 41,402), ranked 211th of 309.Broxtowe, East Midlands: 0.905% of dwellings were HMOs (458 of 50,623), ranked 57th of 309.Buckinghamshire, South East: 0.245% of dwellings were HMOs (564 of 230,529), ranked 120th of 309.Burnley, North West: 0.155% of dwellings were HMOs (65 of 41,955), ranked 160th of 309.Bury, North West: 0.105% of dwellings were HMOs (89 of 84,623), ranked 205th of 309.Calderdale, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.058% of dwellings were HMOs (56 of 96,249), ranked 264th of 309.Cambridge, East of England: 3.976% of dwellings were HMOs (2,243 of 56,411), ranked 4th of 309.Camden, London: 2.324% of dwellings were HMOs (2,515 of 108,236), ranked 21st of 309.Cannock Chase, West Midlands: 0.078% of dwellings were HMOs (35 of 44,841), ranked 245th of 309.Canterbury, South East: 2.349% of dwellings were HMOs (1,596 of 67,947), ranked 19th of 309.Carlisle, North West: 0.230% of dwellings were HMOs (124 of 53,804), ranked 125th of 309.Castle Point, East of England: 0.052% of dwellings were HMOs (20 of 38,774), ranked 274th of 309.Central Bedfordshire, East of England: 0.133% of dwellings were HMOs (166 of 125,256), ranked 184th of 309.Charnwood, East Midlands: 1.657% of dwellings were HMOs (1,276 of 77,023), ranked 32nd of 309.Chelmsford, East of England: 0.333% of dwellings were HMOs (262 of 78,562), ranked 101st of 309.Cheltenham, South West: 1.070% of dwellings were HMOs (608 of 56,809), ranked 50th of 309.Cherwell, South East: 0.345% of dwellings were HMOs (239 of 69,200), ranked 99th of 309.Cheshire East, North West: 0.141% of dwellings were HMOs (259 of 183,768), ranked 172nd of 309.Cheshire West and Chester, North West: 0.456% of dwellings were HMOs (740 of 162,357), ranked 86th of 309.Chesterfield, East Midlands: 0.090% of dwellings were HMOs (45 of 49,983), ranked 228th of 309.Chichester, South East: 0.637% of dwellings were HMOs (380 of 59,693), ranked 70th of 309.Chorley, North West: 0.044% of dwellings were HMOs (23 of 52,369), ranked 288th of 309.City of London, London: 1.065% of dwellings were HMOs (78 of 7,324), ranked 51st of 309.Colchester, East of England: 0.838% of dwellings were HMOs (697 of 83,165), ranked 58th of 309.Copeland, North West: 0.047% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 34,144), ranked 283rd of 309.Cornwall, South West: 0.431% of dwellings were HMOs (1,230 of 285,536), ranked 91st of 309.Cotswold, South West: 0.244% of dwellings were HMOs (111 of 45,515), ranked 121st of 309.County Durham, North East: 0.553% of dwellings were HMOs (1,373 of 248,104), ranked 79th of 309.Coventry, West Midlands: 1.449% of dwellings were HMOs (2,078 of 143,407), ranked 41st of 309.Craven, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.056% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 28,673), ranked 267th of 309.Crawley, South East: 0.739% of dwellings were HMOs (345 of 46,709), ranked 64th of 309.Croydon, London: 0.450% of dwellings were HMOs (730 of 162,273), ranked 87th of 309.Dacorum, East of England: 0.200% of dwellings were HMOs (132 of 65,989), ranked 135th of 309.Darlington, North East: 0.106% of dwellings were HMOs (55 of 52,128), ranked 204th of 309.Dartford, South East: 0.171% of dwellings were HMOs (82 of 47,923), ranked 150th of 309.Derby, East Midlands: 0.759% of dwellings were HMOs (849 of 111,926), ranked 61st of 309.Derbyshire Dales, East Midlands: 0.045% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 35,450), ranked 287th of 309.Doncaster, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.127% of dwellings were HMOs (178 of 140,411), ranked 191st of 309.Dorset, South West: 0.092% of dwellings were HMOs (169 of 183,571), ranked 225th of 309.Dover, South East: 0.143% of dwellings were HMOs (78 of 54,720), ranked 169th of 309.Dudley, West Midlands: 0.066% of dwellings were HMOs (93 of 140,286), ranked 260th of 309.Ealing, London: 1.582% of dwellings were HMOs (2,249 of 142,126), ranked 35th of 309.East Cambridgeshire, East of England: 0.093% of dwellings were HMOs (36 of 38,860), ranked 224th of 309.East Devon, South West: 0.141% of dwellings were HMOs (102 of 72,474), ranked 173rd of 309.East Hampshire, South East: 0.084% of dwellings were HMOs (46 of 54,718), ranked 238th of 309.East Hertfordshire, East of England: 0.263% of dwellings were HMOs (170 of 64,693), ranked 116th of 309.East Lindsey, East Midlands: 0.032% of dwellings were HMOs (28 of 88,394), ranked 303rd of 309.East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.049% of dwellings were HMOs (85 of 173,309), ranked 280th of 309.East Staffordshire, West Midlands: 0.188% of dwellings were HMOs (101 of 53,610), ranked 140th of 309.East Suffolk, East of England: 0.049% of dwellings were HMOs (59 of 120,528), ranked 281st of 309.Eastbourne, South East: 0.507% of dwellings were HMOs (251 of 49,480), ranked 81st of 309.Eastleigh, South East: 0.163% of dwellings were HMOs (96 of 58,778), ranked 155th of 309.Eden, North West: 0.136% of dwellings were HMOs (39 of 28,667), ranked 179th of 309.Elmbridge, South East: 0.151% of dwellings were HMOs (89 of 58,902), ranked 163rd of 309.Enfield, London: 0.580% of dwellings were HMOs (743 of 128,056), ranked 77th of 309.Epping Forest, East of England: 0.230% of dwellings were HMOs (132 of 57,481), ranked 126th of 309.Epsom and Ewell, South East: 0.531% of dwellings were HMOs (173 of 32,603), ranked 80th of 309.Erewash, East Midlands: 0.074% of dwellings were HMOs (39 of 52,527), ranked 249th of 309.Exeter, South West: 3.595% of dwellings were HMOs (2,000 of 55,627), ranked 5th of 309.Fareham, South East: 0.089% of dwellings were HMOs (45 of 50,582), ranked 231st of 309.Fenland, East of England: 0.138% of dwellings were HMOs (64 of 46,295), ranked 177th of 309.Folkestone and Hythe, South East: 0.154% of dwellings were HMOs (82 of 53,108), ranked 161st of 309.Forest of Dean, South West: 0.094% of dwellings were HMOs (37 of 39,536), ranked 221st of 309.Fylde, North West: 0.089% of dwellings were HMOs (36 of 40,510), ranked 232nd of 309.Gateshead, North East: 0.139% of dwellings were HMOs (131 of 94,052), ranked 175th of 309.Gedling, East Midlands: 0.095% of dwellings were HMOs (51 of 53,479), ranked 216th of 309.Gloucester, South West: 0.715% of dwellings were HMOs (416 of 58,164), ranked 67th of 309.Gosport, South East: 0.127% of dwellings were HMOs (48 of 37,667), ranked 189th of 309.Gravesham, South East: 0.161% of dwellings were HMOs (71 of 44,071), ranked 156th of 309.Great Yarmouth, East of England: 0.103% of dwellings were HMOs (51 of 49,313), ranked 207th of 309.Greenwich, London: 0.926% of dwellings were HMOs (1,121 of 121,017), ranked 55th of 309.Guildford, South East: 2.292% of dwellings were HMOs (1,353 of 59,029), ranked 23rd of 309.Hackney, London: 3.575% of dwellings were HMOs (4,159 of 116,342), ranked 6th of 309.Halton, North West: 0.069% of dwellings were HMOs (40 of 58,345), ranked 256th of 309.Hambleton, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.044% of dwellings were HMOs (19 of 43,573), ranked 290th of 309.Hammersmith and Fulham, London: 3.150% of dwellings were HMOs (2,926 of 92,893), ranked 9th of 309.Harborough, East Midlands: 0.041% of dwellings were HMOs (17 of 41,901), ranked 295th of 309.Haringey, London: 2.304% of dwellings were HMOs (2,611 of 113,329), ranked 22nd of 309.Harlow, East of England: 0.257% of dwellings were HMOs (101 of 39,290), ranked 117th of 309.Harrogate, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.137% of dwellings were HMOs (103 of 75,386), ranked 178th of 309.Harrow, London: 0.604% of dwellings were HMOs (573 of 94,792), ranked 74th of 309.Hart, South East: 0.089% of dwellings were HMOs (37 of 41,346), ranked 230th of 309.Hartlepool, North East: 0.111% of dwellings were HMOs (49 of 44,316), ranked 199th of 309.Hastings, South East: 0.179% of dwellings were HMOs (79 of 44,188), ranked 142nd of 309.Havant, South East: 0.100% of dwellings were HMOs (56 of 55,997), ranked 210th of 309.Havering, London: 0.202% of dwellings were HMOs (215 of 106,557), ranked 133rd of 309.Herefordshire, West Midlands: 0.170% of dwellings were HMOs (150 of 88,149), ranked 152nd of 309.Hertsmere, East of England: 0.436% of dwellings were HMOs (196 of 44,926), ranked 90th of 309.High Peak, East Midlands: 0.093% of dwellings were HMOs (40 of 43,162), ranked 223rd of 309.Hillingdon, London: 0.668% of dwellings were HMOs (771 of 115,474), ranked 69th of 309.Hinckley and Bosworth, East Midlands: 0.074% of dwellings were HMOs (38 of 51,017), ranked 248th of 309.Horsham, South East: 0.094% of dwellings were HMOs (61 of 64,855), ranked 218th of 309.Hounslow, London: 1.182% of dwellings were HMOs (1,278 of 108,133), ranked 46th of 309.Huntingdonshire, East of England: 0.140% of dwellings were HMOs (112 of 79,848), ranked 174th of 309.Hyndburn, North West: 0.078% of dwellings were HMOs (29 of 37,207), ranked 246th of 309.Ipswich, East of England: 0.304% of dwellings were HMOs (187 of 61,458), ranked 107th of 309.Isle of Wight, South East: 0.082% of dwellings were HMOs (60 of 73,474), ranked 242nd of 309.Isles of Scilly, South West: 0.616% of dwellings were HMOs (8 of 1,299), ranked 72nd of 309.Islington, London: 3.130% of dwellings were HMOs (3,346 of 106,899), ranked 10th of 309.Kensington and Chelsea, London: 1.058% of dwellings were HMOs (944 of 89,227), ranked 52nd of 309.King's Lynn and West Norfolk, East of England: 0.147% of dwellings were HMOs (110 of 74,782), ranked 165th of 309.Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.747% of dwellings were HMOs (918 of 122,926), ranked 63rd of 309.Kingston upon Thames, London: 1.185% of dwellings were HMOs (816 of 68,885), ranked 45th of 309.Kirklees, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.213% of dwellings were HMOs (401 of 188,108), ranked 129th of 309.Knowsley, North West: 0.023% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 69,671), ranked 307th of 309.Lambeth, London: 4.043% of dwellings were HMOs (5,919 of 146,411), ranked 3rd of 309.Lancaster, North West: 1.449% of dwellings were HMOs (948 of 65,403), ranked 40th of 309.Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber: 1.480% of dwellings were HMOs (5,289 of 357,460), ranked 38th of 309.Leicester, East Midlands: 1.314% of dwellings were HMOs (1,770 of 134,659), ranked 43rd of 309.Lewes, South East: 0.104% of dwellings were HMOs (48 of 46,166), ranked 206th of 309.Lewisham, London: 1.669% of dwellings were HMOs (2,194 of 131,452), ranked 30th of 309.Lichfield, West Midlands: 0.051% of dwellings were HMOs (24 of 47,015), ranked 276th of 309.Lincoln, East Midlands: 2.653% of dwellings were HMOs (1,197 of 45,116), ranked 16th of 309.Liverpool, North West: 1.502% of dwellings were HMOs (3,416 of 227,471), ranked 37th of 309.Luton, East of England: 0.628% of dwellings were HMOs (515 of 81,957), ranked 71st of 309.Maidstone, South East: 0.290% of dwellings were HMOs (219 of 75,559), ranked 109th of 309.Maldon, East of England: 0.041% of dwellings were HMOs (12 of 29,151), ranked 293rd of 309.Malvern Hills, West Midlands: 0.065% of dwellings were HMOs (24 of 36,965), ranked 261st of 309.Manchester, North West: 2.373% of dwellings were HMOs (5,528 of 232,906), ranked 18th of 309.Mansfield, East Midlands: 0.168% of dwellings were HMOs (85 of 50,520), ranked 153rd of 309.Medway, South East: 0.320% of dwellings were HMOs (376 of 117,443), ranked 103rd of 309.Melton, East Midlands: 0.051% of dwellings were HMOs (12 of 23,610), ranked 278th of 309.Mendip, South West: 0.095% of dwellings were HMOs (51 of 53,497), ranked 217th of 309.Merton, London: 1.600% of dwellings were HMOs (1,386 of 86,624), ranked 34th of 309.Mid Devon, South West: 0.099% of dwellings were HMOs (37 of 37,403), ranked 212th of 309.Mid Suffolk, East of England: 0.041% of dwellings were HMOs (19 of 46,167), ranked 294th of 309.Mid Sussex, South East: 0.095% of dwellings were HMOs (63 of 66,035), ranked 215th of 309.Middlesbrough, North East: 0.701% of dwellings were HMOs (449 of 64,033), ranked 68th of 309.Milton Keynes, South East: 0.347% of dwellings were HMOs (408 of 117,516), ranked 97th of 309.Mole Valley, South East: 0.141% of dwellings were HMOs (55 of 38,907), ranked 171st of 309.New Forest, South East: 0.091% of dwellings were HMOs (76 of 83,608), ranked 226th of 309.Newark and Sherwood, East Midlands: 0.128% of dwellings were HMOs (72 of 56,067), ranked 188th of 309.Newcastle upon Tyne, North East: 2.838% of dwellings were HMOs (3,677 of 129,553), ranked 15th of 309.Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands: 0.718% of dwellings were HMOs (404 of 56,297), ranked 66th of 309.Newham, London: 1.877% of dwellings were HMOs (2,346 of 125,013), ranked 27th of 309.North Devon, South West: 0.139% of dwellings were HMOs (68 of 48,895), ranked 176th of 309.North East Derbyshire, East Midlands: 0.034% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 47,271), ranked 302nd of 309.North East Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.111% of dwellings were HMOs (82 of 73,964), ranked 198th of 309.North Hertfordshire, East of England: 0.131% of dwellings were HMOs (77 of 58,749), ranked 185th of 309.North Kesteven, East Midlands: 0.057% of dwellings were HMOs (30 of 52,752), ranked 265th of 309.North Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.118% of dwellings were HMOs (90 of 76,286), ranked 193rd of 309.North Norfolk, East of England: 0.021% of dwellings were HMOs (12 of 56,680), ranked 309th of 309.North Northamptonshire, East Midlands: 0.212% of dwellings were HMOs (329 of 155,033), ranked 130th of 309.North Somerset, South West: 0.174% of dwellings were HMOs (174 of 99,927), ranked 148th of 309.North Tyneside, North East: 0.042% of dwellings were HMOs (42 of 100,069), ranked 292nd of 309.North Warwickshire, West Midlands: 0.055% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 29,027), ranked 268th of 309.North West Leicestershire, East Midlands: 0.450% of dwellings were HMOs (210 of 46,689), ranked 88th of 309.Northumberland, North East: 0.025% of dwellings were HMOs (39 of 159,100), ranked 306th of 309.Norwich, East of England: 2.996% of dwellings were HMOs (2,026 of 67,624), ranked 13th of 309.Nottingham, East Midlands: 3.088% of dwellings were HMOs (4,151 of 134,409), ranked 11th of 309.Nuneaton and Bedworth, West Midlands: 0.072% of dwellings were HMOs (42 of 58,605), ranked 254th of 309.Oadby and Wigston, East Midlands: 0.136% of dwellings were HMOs (32 of 23,571), ranked 180th of 309.Oldham, North West: 0.090% of dwellings were HMOs (88 of 97,849), ranked 229th of 309.Oxford, South East: 4.517% of dwellings were HMOs (2,664 of 58,980), ranked 1st of 309.Pendle, North West: 0.073% of dwellings were HMOs (30 of 41,020), ranked 250th of 309.Peterborough, East of England: 0.420% of dwellings were HMOs (369 of 87,903), ranked 93rd of 309.Plymouth, South West: 1.075% of dwellings were HMOs (1,307 of 121,529), ranked 49th of 309.Portsmouth, South East: 2.120% of dwellings were HMOs (1,933 of 91,173), ranked 26th of 309.Preston, North West: 0.824% of dwellings were HMOs (524 of 63,556), ranked 59th of 309.Reading, South East: 2.265% of dwellings were HMOs (1,633 of 72,096), ranked 24th of 309.Redbridge, London: 0.607% of dwellings were HMOs (652 of 107,489), ranked 73rd of 309.Redcar and Cleveland, North East: 0.031% of dwellings were HMOs (20 of 65,543), ranked 304th of 309.Redditch, West Midlands: 0.212% of dwellings were HMOs (80 of 37,734), ranked 132nd of 309.Reigate and Banstead, South East: 0.238% of dwellings were HMOs (149 of 62,512), ranked 123rd of 309.Ribble Valley, North West: 0.067% of dwellings were HMOs (19 of 28,535), ranked 258th of 309.Richmond upon Thames, London: 0.567% of dwellings were HMOs (485 of 85,587), ranked 78th of 309.Richmondshire, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.085% of dwellings were HMOs (20 of 23,610), ranked 235th of 309.Rochdale, North West: 0.043% of dwellings were HMOs (41 of 95,942), ranked 291st of 309.Rochford, East of England: 0.044% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 36,664), ranked 289th of 309.Rossendale, North West: 0.053% of dwellings were HMOs (17 of 32,323), ranked 272nd of 309.Rother, South East: 0.088% of dwellings were HMOs (41 of 46,409), ranked 233rd of 309.Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.054% of dwellings were HMOs (64 of 119,368), ranked 270th of 309.Rugby, West Midlands: 0.440% of dwellings were HMOs (216 of 49,098), ranked 89th of 309.Runnymede, South East: 1.872% of dwellings were HMOs (694 of 37,079), ranked 28th of 309.Rushcliffe, East Midlands: 0.725% of dwellings were HMOs (377 of 51,987), ranked 65th of 309.Rushmoor, South East: 0.378% of dwellings were HMOs (155 of 41,024), ranked 95th of 309.Rutland, East Midlands: 0.040% of dwellings were HMOs (7 of 17,648), ranked 298th of 309.Ryedale, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.055% of dwellings were HMOs (15 of 27,365), ranked 269th of 309.Salford, North West: 1.127% of dwellings were HMOs (1,410 of 125,162), ranked 47th of 309.Sandwell, West Midlands: 0.176% of dwellings were HMOs (237 of 134,758), ranked 145th of 309.Scarborough, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.118% of dwellings were HMOs (70 of 59,346), ranked 194th of 309.Sedgemoor, South West: 0.150% of dwellings were HMOs (85 of 56,824), ranked 164th of 309.Sefton, North West: 0.121% of dwellings were HMOs (158 of 130,146), ranked 192nd of 309.Selby, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.039% of dwellings were HMOs (16 of 41,179), ranked 299th of 309.Sevenoaks, South East: 0.068% of dwellings were HMOs (35 of 51,605), ranked 257th of 309.Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber: 1.479% of dwellings were HMOs (3,634 of 245,628), ranked 39th of 309.Shropshire, West Midlands: 0.175% of dwellings were HMOs (259 of 147,757), ranked 146th of 309.Slough, South East: 0.599% of dwellings were HMOs (336 of 56,138), ranked 76th of 309.Solihull, West Midlands: 0.099% of dwellings were HMOs (93 of 94,273), ranked 213th of 309.Somerset West and Taunton, South West: 0.152% of dwellings were HMOs (114 of 74,805), ranked 162nd of 309.South Cambridgeshire, East of England: 0.275% of dwellings were HMOs (191 of 69,473), ranked 112th of 309.South Derbyshire, East Midlands: 0.036% of dwellings were HMOs (17 of 47,565), ranked 301st of 309.South Gloucestershire, South West: 0.749% of dwellings were HMOs (918 of 122,516), ranked 62nd of 309.South Hams, South West: 0.110% of dwellings were HMOs (51 of 46,525), ranked 200th of 309.South Holland, East Midlands: 0.212% of dwellings were HMOs (90 of 42,430), ranked 131st of 309.South Kesteven, East Midlands: 0.073% of dwellings were HMOs (48 of 65,712), ranked 251st of 309.South Lakeland, North West: 0.229% of dwellings were HMOs (128 of 55,856), ranked 127th of 309.South Norfolk, East of England: 0.107% of dwellings were HMOs (68 of 63,849), ranked 203rd of 309.South Oxfordshire, South East: 0.250% of dwellings were HMOs (161 of 64,439), ranked 119th of 309.South Ribble, North West: 0.047% of dwellings were HMOs (24 of 50,593), ranked 282nd of 309.South Somerset, South West: 0.177% of dwellings were HMOs (141 of 79,809), ranked 144th of 309.South Staffordshire, West Midlands: 0.029% of dwellings were HMOs (14 of 47,946), ranked 305th of 309.South Tyneside, North East: 0.039% of dwellings were HMOs (28 of 72,181), ranked 300th of 309.Southampton, South East: 2.349% of dwellings were HMOs (2,539 of 108,108), ranked 20th of 309.Southend-on-Sea, East of England: 0.339% of dwellings were HMOs (280 of 82,576), ranked 100th of 309.Southwark, London: 3.000% of dwellings were HMOs (4,259 of 141,962), ranked 12th of 309.Spelthorne, South East: 0.304% of dwellings were HMOs (133 of 43,698), ranked 106th of 309.St Albans, East of England: 0.187% of dwellings were HMOs (116 of 62,023), ranked 141st of 309.St. Helens, North West: 0.056% of dwellings were HMOs (48 of 85,152), ranked 266th of 309.Stafford, West Midlands: 0.117% of dwellings were HMOs (73 of 62,611), ranked 195th of 309.Staffordshire Moorlands, West Midlands: 0.022% of dwellings were HMOs (10 of 44,795), ranked 308th of 309.Stevenage, East of England: 0.484% of dwellings were HMOs (183 of 37,774), ranked 83rd of 309.Stockport, North West: 0.110% of dwellings were HMOs (144 of 131,385), ranked 201st of 309.Stockton-on-Tees, North East: 0.147% of dwellings were HMOs (130 of 88,448), ranked 167th of 309.Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands: 0.484% of dwellings were HMOs (569 of 117,566), ranked 84th of 309.Stratford-on-Avon, West Midlands: 0.158% of dwellings were HMOs (100 of 63,465), ranked 158th of 309.Stroud, South West: 0.127% of dwellings were HMOs (70 of 54,993), ranked 190th of 309.Sunderland, North East: 0.133% of dwellings were HMOs (174 of 130,366), ranked 183rd of 309.Surrey Heath, South East: 0.317% of dwellings were HMOs (119 of 37,591), ranked 105th of 309.Sutton, London: 0.202% of dwellings were HMOs (172 of 85,249), ranked 134th of 309.Swale, South East: 0.113% of dwellings were HMOs (75 of 66,200), ranked 197th of 309.Swindon, South West: 0.277% of dwellings were HMOs (277 of 99,850), ranked 110th of 309.Tameside, North West: 0.076% of dwellings were HMOs (79 of 104,028), ranked 247th of 309.Tamworth, West Midlands: 0.159% of dwellings were HMOs (54 of 33,891), ranked 157th of 309.Tandridge, South East: 0.134% of dwellings were HMOs (50 of 37,378), ranked 181st of 309.Teignbridge, South West: 0.090% of dwellings were HMOs (58 of 64,134), ranked 227th of 309.Telford and Wrekin, West Midlands: 0.471% of dwellings were HMOs (374 of 79,338), ranked 85th of 309.Tendring, East of England: 0.051% of dwellings were HMOs (37 of 72,787), ranked 277th of 309.Test Valley, South East: 0.147% of dwellings were HMOs (84 of 57,107), ranked 166th of 309.Tewkesbury, South West: 0.063% of dwellings were HMOs (27 of 42,836), ranked 262nd of 309.Thanet, South East: 0.146% of dwellings were HMOs (101 of 68,964), ranked 168th of 309.Three Rivers, East of England: 0.081% of dwellings were HMOs (31 of 38,422), ranked 243rd of 309.Thurrock, East of England: 0.275% of dwellings were HMOs (191 of 69,538), ranked 113th of 309.Tonbridge and Malling, South East: 0.108% of dwellings were HMOs (60 of 55,487), ranked 202nd of 309.Torbay, South West: 0.177% of dwellings were HMOs (123 of 69,308), ranked 143rd of 309.Torridge, South West: 0.130% of dwellings were HMOs (44 of 33,780), ranked 186th of 309.Tower Hamlets, London: 3.520% of dwellings were HMOs (4,734 of 134,473), ranked 7th of 309.Trafford, North West: 0.193% of dwellings were HMOs (194 of 100,754), ranked 137th of 309.Tunbridge Wells, South East: 0.190% of dwellings were HMOs (97 of 50,935), ranked 139th of 309.Uttlesford, East of England: 0.052% of dwellings were HMOs (20 of 38,829), ranked 275th of 309.Vale of White Horse, South East: 0.256% of dwellings were HMOs (155 of 60,447), ranked 118th of 309.Wakefield, Yorkshire and The Humber: 0.088% of dwellings were HMOs (141 of 161,071), ranked 234th of 309.Walsall, West Midlands: 0.067% of dwellings were HMOs (78 of 117,215), ranked 259th of 309.Waltham Forest, London: 1.323% of dwellings were HMOs (1,431 of 108,172), ranked 42nd of 309.Wandsworth, London: 4.291% of dwellings were HMOs (6,456 of 150,467), ranked 2nd of 309.Warrington, North West: 0.130% of dwellings were HMOs (122 of 94,205), ranked 187th of 309.Warwick, West Midlands: 1.555% of dwellings were HMOs (1,032 of 66,383), ranked 36th of 309.Watford, East of England: 0.604% of dwellings were HMOs (250 of 41,411), ranked 75th of 309.Waverley, South East: 0.428% of dwellings were HMOs (235 of 54,968), ranked 92nd of 309.Wealden, South East: 0.072% of dwellings were HMOs (52 of 72,048), ranked 252nd of 309.Welwyn Hatfield, East of England: 1.667% of dwellings were HMOs (810 of 48,598), ranked 31st of 309.West Berkshire, South East: 0.164% of dwellings were HMOs (114 of 69,470), ranked 154th of 309.West Devon, South West: 0.083% of dwellings were HMOs (22 of 26,422), ranked 239th of 309.West Lancashire, North West: 0.773% of dwellings were HMOs (397 of 51,380), ranked 60th of 309.West Lindsey, East Midlands: 0.040% of dwellings were HMOs (18 of 44,737), ranked 296th of 309.West Northamptonshire, East Midlands: 0.496% of dwellings were HMOs (892 of 179,747), ranked 82nd of 309.West Oxfordshire, South East: 0.170% of dwellings were HMOs (87 of 51,077), ranked 151st of 309.West Suffolk, East of England: 0.173% of dwellings were HMOs (141 of 81,623), ranked 149th of 309.Westminster, London: 1.726% of dwellings were HMOs (2,225 of 128,912), ranked 29th of 309.Wigan, North West: 0.072% of dwellings were HMOs (107 of 149,074), ranked 253rd of 309.Wiltshire, South West: 0.142% of dwellings were HMOs (320 of 226,105), ranked 170th of 309.Winchester, South East: 1.302% of dwellings were HMOs (709 of 54,459), ranked 44th of 309.Windsor and Maidenhead, South East: 0.350% of dwellings were HMOs (228 of 65,165), ranked 96th of 309.Wirral, North West: 0.080% of dwellings were HMOs (120 of 150,916), ranked 244th of 309.Woking, South East: 0.317% of dwellings were HMOs (138 of 43,569), ranked 104th of 309.Wokingham, South East: 0.302% of dwellings were HMOs (216 of 71,521), ranked 108th of 309.Wolverhampton, West Midlands: 0.191% of dwellings were HMOs (215 of 112,402), ranked 138th of 309.Worcester, West Midlands: 1.020% of dwellings were HMOs (476 of 46,658), ranked 53rd of 309.Worthing, South East: 0.276% of dwellings were HMOs (142 of 51,469), ranked 111th of 309.Wychavon, West Midlands: 0.100% of dwellings were HMOs (60 of 59,862), ranked 209th of 309.Wyre, North West: 0.083% of dwellings were HMOs (45 of 54,141), ranked 240th of 309.Wyre Forest, West Midlands: 0.052% of dwellings were HMOs (25 of 48,118), ranked 273rd of 309.York, Yorkshire and The Humber: 2.259% of dwellings were HMOs (2,048 of 90,644), ranked 25th of 309.

Each class holds about a fifth of the 309 councils. Shading shows the share of all dwellings that were HMOs on Census Day, not the number of HMOs, so large rural councils and small city councils are compared on the same footing. Every value is also in the tables below. Boundaries: local authority districts, December 2021 (ultra-generalised). Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2025.

HMO dwellings as a share of all dwellings, by region, Census 2021

London
South West
South East
East Midlands
Yorkshire and The Humber
North East
North West
West Midlands
East of England
England

Regions are sums of their council rows (London 33, South West 30, South East 64, East Midlands 35, Yorkshire and The Humber 21, North East 12, North West 39, West Midlands 30, East of England 45). ONS adjusts small cells for confidentiality, so sums can differ slightly from other ONS tables.

The 30 councils with the highest share

Top 30 English councils by Census 2021 HMO share
RankCouncilRegionHMO dwellingsShare
1OxfordSouth East2,6644.517%
2WandsworthLondon6,4564.291%
3LambethLondon5,9194.043%
4CambridgeEast of England2,2433.976%
5ExeterSouth West2,0003.595%
6HackneyLondon4,1593.575%
7Tower HamletsLondon4,7343.520%
8BristolSouth West6,9043.404%
9Hammersmith and FulhamLondon2,9263.150%
10IslingtonLondon3,3463.130%
11NottinghamEast Midlands4,1513.088%
12SouthwarkLondon4,2593.000%
13NorwichEast of England2,0262.996%
14Brighton and HoveSouth East3,8432.937%
15Newcastle upon TyneNorth East3,6772.838%
16LincolnEast Midlands1,1972.653%
17Bath and North East SomersetSouth West2,0752.467%
18ManchesterNorth West5,5282.373%
19CanterburySouth East1,5962.349%
20SouthamptonSouth East2,5392.349%
21CamdenLondon2,5152.324%
22HaringeyLondon2,6112.304%
23GuildfordSouth East1,3532.292%
24ReadingSouth East1,6332.265%
25YorkYorkshire and The Humber2,0482.259%
26PortsmouthSouth East1,9332.120%
27NewhamLondon2,3461.877%
28RunnymedeSouth East6941.872%
29WestminsterLondon2,2251.726%
30LewishamLondon2,1941.669%

All 309 councils, and the council estimates for each, in the data tables →

Census Day was 21 March 2021. This is a fixed benchmark, not a current count, and it says nothing about licensing or planning status.

4 · What must be licensed?

Mandatory licensing is national; additional licensing is local

Councils estimated 132,246 HMOs needed a mandatory licence at March 2025 (283 of 296 councils) and reported 95,217 mandatory licences (289 of 296).

Mandatory HMO licence (national)

Any HMO with 5 or more people forming 2 or more households must have a council licence, anywhere in England. Since 1 October 2018 the number of storeys does not matter.

Additional HMO licence (local scheme)

A council can require smaller HMOs to be licensed too, in all or part of its area, for up to 5 years. Portsmouth's citywide scheme runs from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2028 and covers HMOs of 3 or more people in 2 or more households, plus mainly tenanted section 257 buildings.

LAHS reports mandatory licences only. Additional-licence counts are not collected nationally, and each scheme covers a different area and set of HMOs, so they cannot be ranked between councils. UK Facts does not yet hold a national list of local schemes; Portsmouth's citywide scheme is set out in the Portsmouth case study.

5 · What problem does licensing address?

Safety, management, space and amenities

Shared homes carry more fire and management risk than a single household, because more unrelated people depend on the same exits, kitchens and bathrooms.

  • Management. A licence tests whether the licence holder and manager are fit and proper and whether management arrangements are adequate.
  • Space and amenities. Licences set the maximum number of occupiers and require enough kitchens, bathrooms and toilets for them.
  • Safety. Licence conditions cover gas, electrical and fire safety. Any rented home can also be assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
  • Enforcement. Running a licensable HMO without a licence is an offence, and tenants may be able to seek a rent repayment order.

Legal basis: Housing Act 2004 Part 2 and the 2018 Prescribed Description Order.

6 · What role do HMOs play?

Lower-cost rooms for people living alone or sharing

Census 2021 identified 130,733 small HMOs (3 or 4 unrelated tenants) and 44,928 large HMOs (5 or more) in England.

HMOs house students, workers, contractors and people on lower incomes who cannot afford, or do not need, a self-contained home. Councils also use HMO rooms to prevent and relieve homelessness. There is no national series on that housing role; Portsmouth's council has published one year of local figures, shown in the case study. The people who live in HMOs are residents, not the problem: the policy questions are concentration, standards and what replaces lost rooms.

7 · What is not measured consistently?

Licences, standards, complaints and enforcement

The national returns stop at mandatory licensing. The things residents most want to know are not published as a national series.

  • All licences. Dwellings with a mandatory HMO licence issued at 31 March. Additional and selective licences are not included, so there is no national total of HMO licences.
  • Standards. Mandatory-licensable HMOs found with Category 1 hazards: 2,105 at March 2025, from 273 of 296 councils. It covers mandatory-licensable HMOs only.
  • Complaints. Not published as a national series.
  • Enforcement. The LAHS items used here (f8a to f11a) do not cover notices, penalties or prosecutions.
Comparability

Which numbers can be compared, and how

These rules are held in the data registry and applied to every chart on these pages: measures from different groups are never joined in one line.

HMO comparability rules
MeasureBetween areasOver time
ONS Census RM192 rateComparable. Same definition and date for every area in the same Census edition.Fixed 2021 benchmark only; no trend until a new Census edition.
LAHS total HMO estimate (f8a) and mandatory-licensable estimate (f9a)Qualified. Each council chooses its own estimation method.Show with a local-method warning and the published revisions; never call it a measured rise.
LAHS mandatory licences (f10a)Comparable. National statutory category, subject to reporting quality; some LAs report [x].Valid annual series; mark the October 2018 widening of mandatory licensing.
Portsmouth combined registerLocal only. Local operational measure.Only across retained snapshots, with category, September 2023 and June 2026 system-change notes.
Portsmouth vs Southampton live registersNot comparable. Different scheme geography (Portsmouth citywide since Sep 2023; Southampton 9 of 17 wards since Oct 2025, excluding Section 257), categories and application status.Do not rank.
Complaint rates (2019 SPD)Local only. Local and dated.Do not extend beyond the source period.
Planning records (AMR)Local only. Local policy and process measure.Track only after category reconciliation (2023/24 counted determined, 2024/25 counted received).
Planning HMO map (licensed + possible/unknown)Local only. Planning-monitoring estimate; method unpublished.Two dated points only (Jan 2025, Dec 2025); do not join with register or LAHS.
Housing role (homelessness placements)Local only. Single-year figures from a council report.No series published.
What the data can and cannot support

Common claims, checked against the measures

“England has 458,855 HMOs”

Misleading

What is known: 458,855 HMOs estimated by English councils at March 2025. It is a sum of 295 councils' own estimates, each made with its own method.

What is not known: How many HMOs there are in England today. No source counts them all on one definition.

“Portsmouth gained 2,080 HMOs between 2018/19 and 2023/24”

Misleading

What is known: Portsmouth's council estimate was 3,920 in 2018/19 and 6,000 in 2023/24. In between: 4,440 (2019/20), 6,828 (2020/21), 6,000 (2021/22), 6,000 (2022/23). These are estimates made with a local method, not measured counts.

What is not known: How many properties physically changed use.

“Additional licensing caused more HMO conversions”

Unverifiable

What is known: Portsmouth's citywide scheme started on 1 September 2023, which brought smaller HMOs onto the register for the first time. Licence counts before and after are not a stock trend: coverage expanded.

What would change this verdict: Planning-use data on conversions, reconciled with licensing records, over the same period.

“Portsmouth has the highest HMO share in Hampshire”

Incorrect

What is known: On Census 2021, Southampton's share was 2.349% and Portsmouth's 2.120%.

“Portsmouth's HMO share is well above England's”

Supported

What is known: Census 2021: 2.120% of Portsmouth dwellings against 0.705% for England, about 3.0 times the England rate.

8 · Case study

Portsmouth: high, concentrated and hard to count with one number

  • Census 2021: 2.120% of dwellings were HMOs, about 3.0 times England and about 8.5 times the Hampshire County Council area.
  • The council register held 3,107 records in licensed categories in September 2026.
  • 69.7% of combined-register records were in three wards.
Read the Portsmouth case study →
▸How these figures are produced

HMO dwellings = small + large; all dwellings = small + large + does-not-apply; share = HMO / all. England and Hampshire CC area are sums of 2021 LA rows.

ONS RM192 edition 2021 version 2, released 28 April 2023; checked 23 September 2026. LAHS open data items f8a to f11a for 2024/25; checked 23 September 2026.

Full sources, freshness states and validation rules: HMO methodology.

Data version: Portsmouth register c56e8282b357 · ONS RM192 e3e5b7fcb885 · LAHS 6b5f0105d344 (first 12 characters of each source file's SHA-256).

Related content

HMO data tables →
Census 2021 shares for all 309 English councils, and each council's LAHS estimates and licence counts.
HMOs in Portsmouth →
The local case study: register, wards, planning, licensing, housing role and what is not published.
Housing →
House prices, supply, rents and affordability.
Portsmouth HMOs: shareable summary →
The key facts on one page, with sources.