In short: A shared bathroom refit replaces worn or failing bathrooms in an HMO with hard-wearing, easy-clean ones: good extraction, waterproofing, thermostatic showers and finishes that stand up to several users a day. Adding a second bathroom or separate WC is often what licensing needs.
What do shared bathroom and shower room refits include?
- Strip-out and repairs to floors and walls
- Tanking and waterproofing
- Thermostatic shower and bath or walk-in shower
- Extractor fan with humidistat or overrun
- Wall panels or tiling
- Slip-resistant flooring
- Separate WC where the ratio needs it
- Heated towel rail and lighting
When do landlords need it?
- Bathrooms that leak, smell or grow mould
- Too few bathrooms for the number of sharers
- Before a licence inspection
What rules apply in each UK nation?
The law differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and councils publish their own HMO standards on top. These are the points that usually matter for this work.
England
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- Councils assess hazards, including damp, mould and fire, under the HHSRS; revised regulations and guidance applied from 23 June 2026.
- Electrical installations must be inspected and tested at least every 5 years; remedial work is due within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
Wales
- Kitchen and bathroom ratios are set in each council’s HMO standards.
- Councils assess hazards, including damp and mould, under the HHSRS, alongside the fitness for human habitation rules for occupation contracts.
- An electrical inspection and test at least every 5 years, with the report given to the contract-holder within 14 days.
Scotland
- Kitchen, WC and bathroom ratios come from council standards; one WC and one bath or shower per 5 people is a common figure.
- Awaab’s Law applies to most private tenancies from 6 October 2026: damp and mould reports must be investigated within 10 working days, and repairs to substantial damp or mould must start within 5 working days.
- An EICR before the first let and at least every 5 years, with C1 and C2 items fixed, PAT testing of supplied appliances and RCD protection.
Northern Ireland
- Kitchens, bathrooms and WCs must meet the 2019 living accommodation standard regulations and licence conditions.
- Licence conditions and council enforcement cover disrepair, damp and mould in licensed HMOs.
- HMO licence conditions require a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years.
All HMO rules for Northern Ireland
How much do shared bathroom and shower room refits cost?
| Item | UK typical | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | bathroom |
| Ensuite shower room added to a bedroom | £4,000 – £10,000 | ensuite |
| Mould treatment and making good | £250 – £500 | room |
Typical time on site: 5–10 working days. Your fixed price follows a site visit; use the guide-price tool for a figure for your house.
How the job runs
- Free site visit and measured survey.
- Itemised written quote and programme.
- Works with one point of contact and photo updates.
- Handover with certificates, drawings and photos.
Questions about shared bathroom and shower room refits
How many bathrooms does my HMO need?
The national test is adequacy; councils usually set a ratio, often one bathroom per five sharers, with an extra WC in some cases. We check your council’s figure.
What stops mould in shared bathrooms?
Good extraction that keeps running after use, some background heat and finishes that do not trap moisture. We fit all three.
Can a shower room replace a bathroom?
Usually yes. Most councils accept a shower in place of a bath.
Will you work while tenants use the house?
Yes, if another bathroom is available. We plan the work so the house is never left without one.
Related services
- Ensuite installation
- Damp, mould and HHSRS repairs
- Communal kitchen refits
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs
- Full HMO refurbishment
- Layout changes and room reconfiguration
Where we work
Choose a nation and area for local rules, postcodes and regional prices.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Denbighshire
- Flintshire
- Gwynedd
- Isle of Anglesey
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Wrexham
Scotland
- Aberdeen City
- Aberdeenshire
- Angus
- Argyll and Bute
- City of Edinburgh
- Clackmannanshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Dundee City
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Lothian
- East Renfrewshire
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Glasgow City
- Highland
- Inverclyde
- Midlothian
- Moray
- Na h-Eileanan Siar
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Orkney Islands
- Perth and Kinross
- Renfrewshire
- Scottish Borders
- Shetland Islands
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- Stirling
- West Dunbartonshire
- West Lothian