An HMO kitchen refit designs and installs a shared kitchen with enough sinks, cookers, worktop, storage and fridge space for everyone in the house. Chatham is 30 miles east of London. We price communal kitchen refits there against England’s HMO rules and the council’s written HMO standards, so work is planned to the standard an inspection looks for. With students as well as working sharers renting in Chatham, we plan bigger jobs for the gap between academic-year tenancies where we can.
- Area
- Kent, England
- Postcodes
- ME1, ME4, ME5 and ME7
- Location
- 30 miles east of London
- Council
- Medway Council
- Pricing region
- South East
What do communal kitchen refits in Chatham involve?
- Extra sink, hob and oven where the numbers need it
- Extraction to outside
- Kitchen designed to your council’s amenity standards
- Fridge and freezer space
- Heat detector and fire blanket
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.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- Smoke alarms on every storey with living accommodation and CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances (other than gas cookers) are required by law.
- BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
- The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
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 do communal kitchen refits cost in Chatham?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £8,950 – £20,150 | kitchen |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £900 – £2,250 | house |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in Chatham can move the figure either way, which is why we quote after seeing the house.
How long does it take?
Typical time on site: 1–2 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?
Landlords in Chatham most often ask us for this when:
- More sharers than the current kitchen can serve
- A licence condition about kitchen facilities
Questions about communal kitchen refits in Chatham
How long does a kitchen refit take?
Usually one to two weeks, longer if walls move or the kitchen relocates.
Do you cover all of Chatham?
Yes. We work across Chatham and the ME1, ME4, ME5 and ME7 postcode areas, plus the rest of Kent. Nearby places we also cover include Gillingham, Rochester, Strood.
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 do communal kitchen refits 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.
Communal kitchen refits 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
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Chatham
- Student HMO refurbishment in Chatham
- Full HMO refurbishment in Chatham
- Fire alarm and detection systems in Chatham
- Layout changes and room reconfiguration in Chatham
- House to HMO conversion in Chatham
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Chatham
- Professional and co-living HMO refurbs in Chatham