About SNUG:

SNUG is a partnership between Sheffield City Council and the Sheffield Hallam University.  It is a scheme of registering, inspecting and advertising private student homes in Sheffield.

The SNUG badge can only be gained if homes meet the required standard of property and tenancy management and the landlord is deemed 'fit and proper'.  It is then when the property is approved as a SNUG property.

About HMO:

The aim of licensing a property is to provide safe and well managed accommodation.

The Housing Act 2004 introduced licensing for HMOs providing a detailed definition of HMOs and set out standards of management for this type of property.  Most of the Act came into force on 6 April 2006, except for sections relating to converted blocks of flats.  These sections are likely to come into force during 2007.  If you live in a converted block of flats you can check with your local council whether the Act applies to where you live.

Under the new laws, there are 2 types of HMO licensing:

• Mandatory licensing; and
• Additional licensing

Licensing is mandatory for all HMOs which have three or more storeys and are occupied by five or more persons forming two or more households.

Additional licensing is when a council can impose a licence on types of HMOs for which licensing is not mandatory.  The Council may do this if it considers that a significant proportion of these HMOs are being poorly managed. 

The Council must look at the following factors:

• the suitability of the HMO for the number of occupiers
• the suitability of the facilities within the HMO, such as toilets, bathrooms and cooking facilities
• the suitability of the landlord and/or the managing agent to manage the HMO (this is called the 'fit and proper; test); and
• the general suitability of managing arrangements.