Regulation 9 of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 requires the manager of a house in multiple occupation to provide bins adequate for each household and to make any further arrangements needed for disposal, and regulation 10 requires each occupier to store and dispose of litter in accordance with those arrangements.

What counts as a house in multiple occupation

GOV.UK explains that a house in multiple occupation (HMO) is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one household, for example a family, but who share facilities such as a bathroom and kitchen, sometimes called a house share. A property rented to five or more people from more than one household, sharing toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities and where at least one tenant pays rent, is defined as a large HMO and needs a licence in England and Wales, while smaller ones may need one depending on the council. The management regulations discussed here are the England regulations of 2006, made under section 234 of the Housing Act 2004.

The manager’s duty on bins

Regulation 9 says the manager must ensure that sufficient bins or other suitable receptacles are provided, adequate for the requirements of each household occupying the HMO, for the storage of refuse and litter pending their disposal. The manager must also make such further arrangements for the disposal of refuse and litter from the HMO as may be necessary, having regard to any service for such disposal provided by the local authority. The regulations define the manager as the person managing the HMO, which may be the landlord or an agent. The duty is measured by the number of households rather than a fixed number of bins, and it covers both storage and onward disposal.

What further arrangements can involve

The second limb, having regard to the council’s service, means the manager must take account of what the local authority collects and make further arrangements where necessary. If a private collector or contractor is used, the duty of care rules apply, as explained in the guide to waste duty of care, and the carrier should be checked as described in checking a waste carrier. What councils themselves can require about bins is covered in the guide to bin notices under sections 46 and 47.

What occupiers must do

Regulation 10 lists the duties of every occupier. They include conducting themselves in a way that will not hinder or frustrate the manager, allowing the manager access at reasonable times to any living accommodation for the purposes of carrying out duties under the regulations, providing information the manager reasonably requires, and taking reasonable care to avoid damaging anything the manager must supply, maintain or repair. Specifically on rubbish, paragraph (e) requires the occupier to store and dispose of litter in accordance with the arrangements made by the manager under regulation 9. An occupier who leaves rubbish outside the arranged bins is therefore in breach of the regulations, as well as potentially causing problems that councils address under the powers in the guide to litter and refuse.

Enforcement and penalties

Section 234 of the Housing Act 2004 says that a person commits an offence if they fail to comply with a management regulation, subject to a defence of reasonable excuse. On summary conviction the penalty is a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. In England the section also refers to civil financial penalties under section 249A as an alternative to prosecution for certain housing offences, and a person who has been given such a penalty for conduct amounting to the offence cannot also be convicted of it. Section 234(2)(b) allows the regulations to impose duties on occupiers so that the manager can perform their own duties effectively, which is the basis for regulation 10.

Practical points for tenants and landlords

Landlords and managers can reduce disputes by providing clearly labelled bins in adequate numbers for each household, telling occupiers in writing how and when rubbish is collected, and keeping records of arrangements made. Occupiers can raise a problem with the manager first, because the regulations put the duty on the manager, and then with the council if the problem continues. End-of-tenancy clearances are a separate matter, covered by the guide to clearing a rental property.

FAQs

Who provides the bins in a house share in England?

Under regulation 9 the manager of the HMO must ensure sufficient bins or other suitable receptacles adequate for each household are provided, and make further arrangements for disposal as necessary.

Do tenants have any duties about rubbish?

Yes. Regulation 10(e) requires each occupier to store and dispose of litter in accordance with the arrangements the manager makes under regulation 9.

What happens if a landlord ignores the rules?

Section 234 of the Housing Act 2004 makes non-compliance with a management regulation an offence, with a reasonable excuse defence and a fine up to level 5 on conviction, and England also allows civil financial penalties as an alternative.

The bottom line

In an English house in multiple occupation the manager must provide adequate bins for each household and arrange disposal, and occupiers must use those arrangements. Failing to comply is an offence under section 234 of the Housing Act 2004, with civil financial penalties available as an alternative. The regulations discussed here are the England regulations. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 24 September 2026:

• legislation.gov.uk, “The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, regulation 9: Duty to provide waste disposal facilities”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, regulation 10: Duties of occupiers of HMOs”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Housing Act 2004, section 234: Management regulations in respect of HMOs”
• GOV.UK, “House in multiple occupation licence”

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