Types of accommodation

There are several different types of accommodation available in the private rented sector.

Accommodation maybe in the form of:

• a self-contained house or flat

• part of a flat or house shared with other people who may, or may not, be previously known to the tenant

• flats or houses with a landlord who lives in another part of the building

• flats or houses where the tenant shares some of the accommodation with a landlord.

The type of accommodation is just one factor in the rights that occupiers have. The section on security of tenure has more information on what property rights different types of tenants have.

Shared accommodation, including bedsits, hostels and bed and breakfast 'hotels', may be houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). There is no single definition of an HMO. Different definitions apply depending on the legislation involved. For more information, please see the section on houses in multiple occupation.