Simpler Recycling for HMOs: What Landlords and Property Managers Must Do
With Simpler Recycling reforms rolling out across England, many landlords and property managers are unsure how the new rules apply to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and other shared residential properties. The deadline for household compliance is 31 March 2026, meaning there is limited time to adapt waste setups and avoid penalties.
HMOs house around 1.5 million people across England. They generate higher waste volumes and more contamination risks than standard homes. That places greater responsibility on landlords to ensure correct bins, clear instructions and safe waste handling.
This guide outlines what the reforms mean, who is responsible and what action landlords must take now.
What is Simpler Recycling?
Simpler Recycling is a national waste reform programme designed to ensure every household in England has access to a consistent recycling service.
Local authorities must provide separate collections for:
- Paper and card
- Plastic, metal and glass
- Food waste
- Residual general waste
Most homes will therefore require four containers. The aim is to reduce contamination, increase recycling rates and support the UK’s circular economy goals.
While many commercial properties already follow similar rules, HMOs can fall into a confusing space between business and household waste.
Who is responsible for
waste in HMOs?
Responsibility is shared, but not equally.
Tenants must:
- Sort waste correctly into the right containers
- Present bins for collection where required
- Avoid contamination and littering
Landlords and property managers are responsible for:
- Providing adequate bin capacity for all tenants
- Arranging the correct types of containers
- Providing instructions in writing on how to separate waste
- Ensuring suitable collection frequency
- Managing property waste storage so it does not cause a nuisance
Some councils require a written waste management plan as part of HMO licensing conditions.
If waste issues arise, landlords and agents are among the first to face enforcement action.
Do HMOs need
commercial waste services?
It depends on how the local authority classifies the property and whether existing capacity is sufficient.
There are three common scenarios:
- Council household collections continue, with extra bins provided where needed
- Council services remain, but additional capacity is required
- The council requires or advises private commercial waste collections due to volume or contamination
Commercial collection can offer:
- More reliable service at peak times
- Additional food waste and recycling streams
- Extra capacity in high-turnover properties
- Clear compliance documentation
Where landlords operate HMOs as holiday accommodation or serviced lets, commercial collections are required.
What happens if HMOs
do not comply?
Councils typically issue a compliance notice first, giving landlords the chance to fix issues such as:
- Overflowing bins
- Lack of correct containers
- Repeated contamination
- Waste blocking exits or walkways
If action is not taken, this can escalate to:
- Fixed penalty notices, often around £400
- Fines up to £5,000 in the Magistrates’ Court
- Licensing issues for HMOs
- Pest control enforcement
- Complaints from neighbours and environmental health
Repeated waste breaches can risk licence removal, which threatens the property’s viability.
Mark Hall, property waste management expert at Business Waste, explains:
Why adequate bin capacity matters
Shared waste areas can quickly become overwhelmed if tenants do not have enough recycling and food waste containers. Overflowing bins attract vermin and lead to contamination, resulting in recycling being rejected and reprocessed as general waste.
Landlords should review:
- Current bin sizes and numbers
- Areas where contamination is common
- Whether food waste is stored securely
- Tenant turnover and occupancy rates
- Collection frequency in peak months (especially late summer and Christmas)
Early planning avoids last-minute compliance problems in 2026.
What landlords and agents
must do now
Review your current bin setup
Verify that all required waste streams are covered.
Audit tenant behaviour
Identify where contamination or excess volume occurs.
Communicate rules in writing
Place signage in kitchens and communal areas.
Check with your local authority
Understand whether additional capacity is funded or chargeable.
Consider switching some or all services to a licensed provider
Especially if council support is limited.
Create a simple waste management plan
This is increasingly requested for HMO licensing.
Seek expert advice
Particularly for larger or complex properties.
Mark Hall adds:
How Business Waste can
support HMOs
We help landlords and property managers:
- Provide the correct bin types for recycling and food waste
- Increase collection frequency to prevent overflow
- Train tenants in correct waste separation
- Maintain compliance with evolving legislation
- Reduce council rejections and avoid penalty notices
We make waste management simple, sustainable and fully compliant for over 30,000 UK organisations.
To get ahead of Simpler Recycling requirements, contact us or call 0800 211 8390.
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