HMO Landlords

Stay licensed and compliant — legionella risk assessments and water safety for London HMO landlords.

If you're a landlord with a house in multiple occupation, you have a legal duty under ACOP L8 to assess and control legionella risks in your property's water system. Many HMO landlords don't realise this obligation exists until a council licensing inspection flags the gap — at which point they need to act quickly to avoid enforcement action and protect their licence.

Why This Matters

  • ACOP L8 places a clear legal duty on landlords to manage legionella risks
  • HMO licensing inspections now routinely check for legionella risk assessments
  • Failure to comply can result in licence refusal, improvement notices, or prosecution
  • Shared water systems in HMOs create higher legionella risks than single-occupancy homes
  • Tenant complaints about water quality can escalate to council involvement rapidly

Compliance Requirements

  • Written legionella risk assessment for each HMO property
  • Regular temperature monitoring of hot and cold water systems
  • Flushing protocols for any periods of vacancy
  • Water tank inspection and cleaning where tanks are present
  • Documented management plan demonstrating ongoing control measures

Common Issues We Find

  • Landlords unaware of their ACOP L8 obligations until flagged by the council
  • Shared water systems with multiple bathrooms creating complex monitoring requirements
  • Older properties with header tanks, dead legs, and poor insulation
  • Tenants tampering with thermostat settings or leaving outlets unused
  • No documentation to demonstrate compliance during licensing inspections

What We Provide

  • Fast-turnaround legionella risk assessments for HMO properties
  • Clear, practical recommendations that are affordable to implement
  • Temperature monitoring and sampling where required
  • Water tank cleaning and inspection for properties with storage tanks
  • Compliance documentation formatted for HMO licensing applications

Frequently Asked Questions

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