HMORefurbishment
0800 088 6341 Get a quote

Kitchens and bathrooms

Communal kitchen refits

Shared kitchens sized for the number of sharers, with the extra sinks, cookers and storage councils ask for.

  • Free site visit and measured survey
  • Built to the council’s HMO standards
  • Certificates and photos at handover
Get a guide price0800 088 6341
Large communal HMO kitchen with two sinks, two ovens and two fridge-freezers
In short: An HMO kitchen refit designs and installs a shared kitchen with enough sinks, cookers, worktop, storage and fridge space for everyone in the house. Councils usually publish ratios, for example extra cooking and sink provision once a kitchen serves more than five people.

What do communal kitchen refits include?

  • Kitchen designed to your council’s amenity standards
  • Extra sink, hob and oven where the numbers need it
  • Lockable food storage for each sharer
  • Fridge and freezer space
  • Heat detector and fire blanket
  • Extraction to outside
  • Durable worktops and flooring
  • Electrics, sockets and lighting

When do landlords need it?

  • More sharers than the current kitchen can serve
  • A licence condition about kitchen facilities
  • Tired kitchens that are putting tenants off

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.
  • Fire precautions follow a risk assessment; the LACORS Housing – Fire Safety guide (2008) is guidance, not law, but many councils base their standards on it.
  • 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.

All HMO rules for England

Wales

  • Kitchen and bathroom ratios are set in each council’s HMO standards.
  • Fitness for human habitation rules require mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey and CO alarms where there is a gas, oil or solid-fuel appliance.
  • An electrical inspection and test at least every 5 years, with the report given to the contract-holder within 14 days.
  • Council HMO standards and the fire risk assessment set detection, fire doors and escape routes.

All HMO rules for Wales

Scotland

  • Kitchen, WC and bathroom ratios come from council standards; one WC and one bath or shower per 5 people is a common figure.
  • The tolerable standard requires interlinked smoke alarms in the main living room and circulation spaces and a heat alarm in the kitchen; licensed HMOs must meet the council’s higher standard.
  • 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.
  • Councils set HMO fire standards through licence conditions, often including emergency lighting in larger HMOs.

All HMO rules for Scotland

Northern Ireland

  • Kitchens, bathrooms and WCs must meet the 2019 living accommodation standard regulations and licence conditions.
  • The NIFRS HMO Fire Safety Guide (July 2026) usually expects Grade D1 interlinked detection in smaller shared houses and a Grade A system with more than 6 occupants or over 200 m².
  • HMO licence conditions require a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years.
  • Doors on protected routes are typically FD30 or FD30S, self-closing on three hinges; emergency lighting is required in HMOs of 4 or more storeys.

All HMO rules for Northern Ireland

How much do communal kitchen refits cost?

UK typical budget ranges. See local pages for regional guides.
ItemUK typicalPer
Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges)£8,000 – £18,000kitchen
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)£800 – £2,000house

Typical time on site: 1–2 weeks. Your fixed price follows a site visit; use the guide-price tool for a figure for your house.

How the job runs

  1. Free site visit and measured survey.
  2. Itemised written quote and programme.
  3. Works with one point of contact and photo updates.
  4. Handover with certificates, drawings and photos.

Questions about communal kitchen refits

How big does an HMO kitchen need to be?

Councils set their own standards, usually as a minimum floor area and a number of sinks, cookers and worktop lengths per number of sharers. We design to the standard for your address.

Can kitchens be split between floors?

Yes, and in larger houses it often helps. A second kitchen can reduce pressure on one room and helps meet the ratios.

Do HMO kitchens need a heat detector?

Kitchens normally have a heat detector rather than a smoke detector, linked to the house alarm. The exact system follows the fire risk assessment.

How long does a kitchen refit take?

Usually one to two weeks, longer if walls move or the kitchen relocates.

Related services

Where we work

Choose a nation and area for local rules, postcodes and regional prices.

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Planning HMO works?

Free site visit, then a fixed written quote itemised against your council’s standards.

Get a guide priceCall 0800 088 6341
CallGet a quote