Property Licensing is a system used by councils to ensure rental properties meet standards. Kamma Suite tracks these rules across the UK, but you need to understand the basics to use the app effectively.
The Three Licence Schemes
Kamma Suite breaks down your licensing requirements into three categories, based on national and local rules.
Scheme Type | What it Covers |
Mandatory | Large shared houses. Applies nationally to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) rented by 5 or more people from at least 2 households. |
Additional | Smaller shared houses. A local rule usually applied to HMOs with 3 or 4 people from 2 or more households. |
Selective | Any rental property (even single flats/family homes) in a specific area designated by the council. |
Understanding Occupancy & Data
The licence required is always based on who is living in the property and how many of them there are.
Occupants (People): The total number of individuals in the property, including children.
Households: A single person, or members of the same family (couples, relatives) living together, count as one household. Unrelated friends count as separate households.
In Kamma Suite: Missing this info triggers the Incomplete Property Information alert on your Dashboard. You must update this data on the Property Page to generate the correct Licence Requirement.
Why Property Attributes Matter
Property attributes (like the number of storeys or the type of HMO) are not always essential, but can flag potential exemptions from certain schemes.
Storeys: Some councils exclude properties with only one storey from their licensing schemes.
S257 HMO: a building converted into self-contained flats where the conversion does not meet modern Building Regulations, and less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. An S257 property can trigger different council licensing rules.
In Kamma Suite: Update these details in the Attributes section of the Property Page to ensure you don't apply for a licence you don't need.