UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi,

I've tried googling this but can't find an answer.
I currently have a 3 bed semi, 4 rooms are let and 1 room is  being used as a lounge.
Before I used to let the whole house to one set of people.  I've now ended up with each bedroom being let individually to different people.
The lounge doesn't get used.  Can I convert the lounge into a bedroom and let this as well? or do I legally need to provide a lounge?

Thanks for your help.

hi i have bedsits and properties converted to bedsits or rooms. you dont need a lounge but you need to have a clear way out of the property for fire regs. best thing is ring your local fireofficer not the council and he will tell you if its feasible. he will tell you you need linked smoke alarms and 30 min fire doors as well but he has no powers of enforcement that is the councils job. if any of your tenants claim housing ben then the council will probably find out about you rooms eventually anyway and give you an inspection.
hope that helps.

Hi.  I rent out 25 rooms across 5 HMOs and here's my view on lounges: It's hard enough keeping communal areas clean without having to rearrange the cushions and fish out takeaways from under the sofa.  Not having a communal area to sit around in means no parties or having mates staying over after a night on the town.  The rooms tend to be big enough to put in a small sofa or armchair (as well as the bed, etc. in case you thought I was being frugal!)

It's just my opinion and in 6 years and Heaven knows how many tenants later, I've only every receive one request for a lounge.  On the rare occasions they're feeling chatty, there's a table and chairs in the kitchen which works just as well.

Good luck!

I'm looking for some advice on setting up my first HMO.....

Sorry for the boring list of questions, but looking from the outside in, some of the nuances aren't obvious!

I've been a standard private AST landlord for ages but this is my first venture in LHA style HMO's.

I have a large(ish) 3 bed terrace currently being totally refurbed getting rid of the lounge makes it 5 lettable rooms all of good size - I can fit electric card meters in each room if I want.

In your experience what are the main issues with HMO's? Are your tenants on Housing Benefit, is it paid direct?

How do you get paid for the utilities\council tax etc?

Do your rooms have carpet or laminate flooring... have tenants expressed a preference??

Do you have an incoming telephone (and wifi?) or a payphone ??

Do you employ an agent or find tenants yourself?

Which part of the UK are your HMO's in? 

Once again, sorry for the tedious questions, but I do find its worth talking to the more experienced members of the landlord community.

Hi Jono2000. If you're still looking for advice on setting up your HMO we are running a solicitor and landlord led one day workshop in May 2013. Visit http://www.schoolforlandlords.co.uk/landing/hmo-norwich/?doing_wp_cron=1365282020.5357680320739746093750