HMO and student let maintenance in Oxford

Which Oxford homes need a licence

Oxford City Council says an HMO is a home where three or more unrelated people live together. Mandatory licensing covers HMOs with five or more tenants.

The council’s additional licensing scheme covers every other HMO in the city. Its current scheme came into force on 25 June 2026 and runs to 25 June 2031.

Since 1 September 2022, selective licensing has also covered most other private rented homes in Oxford. Renting without a licence is a criminal offence.

Maintenance duties in the licence conditions

The council’s standard HMO licence conditions set clear duties. The council says the 2026 conditions are the same as the 2021 ones, apart from a simpler waste condition.

• Inspect the house at least every 6 months, and keep a log of each inspection for a year.
• Reply to a complaint of disrepair or pests within 14 days, saying what you will do.
• Respond within 24 hours to an emergency, such as no heating, no hot water or a security problem.
• Send the council a new gas safety certificate each year, if the house has gas.
• Hold an electrical condition report dated within the last 5 years.
• Test smoke and heat alarms. Mains-powered, interlinked Grade D alarms need a monthly test.
• Clear rubbish and unwanted goods at the end of each tenancy, before the next one starts.

What a maintenance firm can take on

A handyman or maintenance firm can carry out many of these duties for you. Agree in writing what the firm will do and how it records each visit.

• Run the 6-monthly inspection and send you a dated report with photos.
• Test alarms each month and keep the log.
• Fix small faults, such as door closers, locks, handles, seals and leaking taps.
• Clear the house, front garden and back garden between tenancies.
• Let in gas engineers and electricians and keep copies of their certificates.

Jobs a handyman cannot sign off

The gas safety check needs a Gas Safe registered engineer. The electrical condition report must come from a qualified electrician, registered with a UKAS accredited body.

Fire doors and alarm systems in larger HMOs may need a specialist. Ask the council if you are not sure what your licence requires.

Changing a house into an HMO

Oxford has an Article 4 direction across the whole city. Since 25 February 2012, changing a family house into a small HMO has needed planning permission.

Planning permission is also needed to grow an HMO from six to seven or more tenants. Licensing and planning are separate, so you may need both.

The summer turnaround

Many student lets in Oxford change hands in the summer, so the repair window is short. Book trades early, and plan decorating and repairs for the weeks between tenancies.

Walk round with the outgoing tenants if you can. Note damage, missing items and repairs needed, with dated photos.

Questions

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