Introducing the HMO Data Scraper — v1.0.15

We've just shipped v1.0.15, and it's a foundational one. This release introduces the HMO Data Scraper — the automated engine that sits at the heart of HMOwatch and makes everything else possible.

The Problem We're Solving

HMO licensing data in the UK is a mess — not because councils are doing anything wrong, but because the information is spread across 400+ local authority sources, each publishing register data in its own format, on its own schedule, at its own URL. For a letting agent or landlord trying to stay compliant, that means:

• Checking dozens of council websites manually
• Never being sure if the data you found is still current
• Missing licensing changes because there's no single place to look

What We Built

The HMO Data Scraper automatically:

1. Identifies every local authority HMO register of landlords and licensed properties.
2. Aggregates the data into a single, normalised dataset.
3. Continuously updates that dataset as council registers change.

The result is a live, unified picture of HMO licensing across the UK — without anyone having to do the legwork manually.

How It Feeds the Platform

The scraper is the data backbone. Every feature in HMOwatch that checks compliance status, fires alerts, or surfaces licensing information draws from the aggregated dataset it produces. With continuous updates running in the background, the platform always reflects the real state of each local authority's register.

What's Next

With the data layer now in place, upcoming releases will build on top of it — turning raw register data into actionable compliance alerts, risk signals, and real-time notifications for agents and landlords.

If you want to follow progress, check the Changelog for updates as each release ships.