Crawley Borough Council is urging landlords of houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs, to apply for a licence before new legislation comes into force on 1st October.  

Landlords of HMOs with five or more occupants forming two or more households, need to apply for a licence before this date. Failure to do so by Monday 1st October will be a criminal offence.  

Currently compulsory licensing only covers HMO properties of three storeys or more with five or more occupants, but the new regulations will cover all properties.