A full HMO refurbishment brings a tired or non-compliant shared house back up to standard in one project: strip-out, repairs, new kitchens and bathrooms, fire safety, electrics, heating, decoration and flooring. In Chatham, a town of around 80,000 people in Kent, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards. Chatham has a university population, so many shared houses are let to students on yearly tenancies, and summer is the main window for works.
- Area
- Kent, England
- Postcodes
- ME1, ME4, ME5 and ME7
- Location
- 30 miles east of London
- Council
- Medway Council
- Pricing region
- South East
What does full HMO refurbishment in Chatham involve?
- Decoration, flooring and furniture-ready rooms
- Condition survey and schedule of works
- Damp and mould repairs
- Rewire or electrical upgrades
- Fire doors, detection and escape route upgrades
Which rules apply in Chatham?
Here is what usually applies to a Chatham job of this kind. It is general information rather than legal advice, and the council’s written HMO standards have the final detail.
- Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
- BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
Medway Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force in part of the council area Article 4 Direction for seven wards (Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North/South, Luton, Strood North & Frindsbury, Watling), approved 16 Dec 2025, in force Jan 2026. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | Approved, starts 4 Jan 2027 Six wards (Chatham Central & Brompton, Fort Pitt, Gillingham North and South, Luton, Watling), 4 Jan 2027 to 3 Jan 2032. |
| Selective licensing | Approved, starts 4 Jan 2027 Seven wards (as additional licensing plus Strood North & Frindsbury), 4 Jan 2027 to 3 Jan 2032. |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Chatham before you buy or start work. Source: Medway Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much does full HMO refurbishment cost in Chatham?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full refurbishment per letting room, with a share of communal areas (excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate) | £4,000 – £9,000 | £4,500 – £10,100 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,950 – £20,150 | kitchen |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £6,150 – £10,100 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £900 – £2,250 | house |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £6,700 – £13,450 | house |
These are typical ranges including VAT, adjusted for South East, where costs run above the UK average. The fixed price for a house in Chatham follows a site visit.
How long does it take?
Typical time on site: 4–12 weeks. We agree the programme with you before starting and send photo updates as the work progresses.
For student houses in Chatham, booking by spring is the safest way to make the summer gap.
When do Chatham landlords need it?
Typical reasons for this work in Chatham:
- A council inspection or licence renewal has listed defects
- You have bought an existing HMO that needs work
Questions about full HMO refurbishment in Chatham
Do you provide certificates at the end?
Yes: electrical and fire alarm certificates, and building control completion where it applies.
Which postcodes in Chatham do you work in?
All of them, including ME1, ME4, ME5 and ME7, and the surrounding parts of Kent.
Which council covers HMOs in Chatham?
Chatham is covered by Medway Council. We read the council’s written HMO standards before pricing, and you should check the licence position for the exact address.
How much does full HMO refurbishment cost in Chatham?
Our guide ranges for South East are in the table on this page, and the guide-price tool gives a figure for your house. A fixed written quote follows a free site visit.
Full HMO refurbishment near Chatham
- Gillingham · 1 mi
- Rochester · 1 mi
- Strood · 2 mi
- Maidstone · 8 mi
- Gravesend · 8 mi
- Sittingbourne · 9 mi
- All of Kent
Other HMO services in Chatham
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Chatham
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Chatham
- Rewires and EICR remedials in Chatham
- Communal kitchen refits in Chatham
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Chatham
- Damp, mould and HHSRS repairs in Chatham
- Bedroom upgrades and room refits in Chatham
- Ensuite installation in Chatham