Do I Need Specialist HMO Landlord Insurance? Free Checker

When does a landlord need specialist HMO insurance?

A standard landlord insurance policy is usually only suitable where a property is let to a single household on one tenancy agreement. A property let to three or more tenants from more than one household who share facilities is a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in law, and most standard landlord policies exclude it or restrict cover so heavily that claims fail.

Four situations that need specialist landlord cover

• HMO status — shared living, higher footfall and licensing conditions that standard policies exclude.
• Students, housing-benefit (DSS/LHA) tenants or council placements — many insurers exclude or heavily load these tenant types, and non-disclosure is a leading cause of declined claims.
• Room-by-room letting on separate tenancy agreements — 'single tenancy' policies can decline claims where each room has its own agreement.
• Unoccupancy beyond 30 days — standard policies strip cover down to bare fire risk; specialist policies extend full cover to 90 days or more.

Specialist does not have to mean expensive — insurers exist that actively want HMO and non-standard landlord business, so the risk is priced properly and claims get paid. See our landlord insurance and HMO landlord insurance pages, or call 020 8908 2426. Premier Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference 305009.