A house to HMO conversion turns a single-family home into a house in multiple occupation: a shared home for unrelated people with private bedrooms and shared kitchen or bathroom space. Derby is 14 miles west of Nottingham. We price house to HMO conversion 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 Derby, we plan bigger jobs for the gap between academic-year tenancies where we can.
- Area
- Derbyshire, England
- Postcodes
- DE1, DE21, DE22 and DE23
- Location
- 14 miles west of Nottingham
- Council
- Derby City Council
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What does house to HMO conversion in Derby involve?
- Fire doors, fire-rated linings and an interlinked fire alarm
- A communal kitchen sized for the number of sharers
- Decoration, flooring and a handover pack for licensing
- Rewiring or upgrades, with an electrical certificate
- Measured survey and room-size check against the licensing standards
Which rules apply in Derby?
House to HMO conversion in Derby must satisfy national law for England, the council’s written HMO standards and, where walls, drainage or fire separation change, the building rules. In short:
- Mandatory HMO licence for 5 or more people in 2 or more households (since October 2018); councils can add additional licensing for smaller HMOs.
- Floor area under a ceiling lower than 1.5 m does not count towards the room size, and many councils set larger sizes.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- 7 or more sharers is a sui generis large HMO and normally needs planning permission.
Derby City Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force in part of the council area Article 4 Direction for all of Arboretum ward plus parts of Abbey, Alvaston North, Darley, Mackworth, New Zealand, Normanton, Sinfin & Osmaston within the ring road; in force 3 May 2025. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | No scheme found |
| Selective licensing | No scheme found |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Derby before you buy or start work. Source: Derby City Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much does house to HMO conversion cost in Derby?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical 3–4 bed house to a 5–6 bed HMO, all-in | £30,000 – £75,000 | £29,100 – £72,750 | project |
| Conversion works per letting room (walls, linings, electrics, decoration; excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate) | £3,500 – £6,500 | £3,400 – £6,300 | letting room |
| Ensuite shower room added to a bedroom | £4,000 – £10,000 | £3,900 – £9,700 | ensuite |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £7,750 – £17,450 | kitchen |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £780 – £1,950 | house |
Prices in Derby are shown with our regional adjustment for East Midlands (below the UK average). Your quote is itemised and fixed in writing once the scope and specification are agreed.
How long does it take?
Allow 6–14 weeks on site for a typical job. Drawings, approvals and long-lead items such as kitchens or fire door sets are booked before we start.
If the house is let to students, we work backwards from the next tenancy start date in Derby.
When do Derby landlords need it?
Landlords in Derby most often ask us for this when:
- A family let is moving to room-by-room letting
- A council has said an existing shared house needs works before a licence
Questions about house to HMO conversion in Derby
Will the house pass licensing once the works are done?
We build to the standards your council publishes and give you the certificates and drawings an inspection asks for. The licence decision belongs to the licensing authority, so we never promise approval, but we design to meet the written standards from day one.
Do you cover all of Derby?
Yes. We work across Derby and the DE1, DE21, DE22 and DE23 postcode areas, plus the rest of Derbyshire. Nearby places we also cover include Belper, Ilkeston, Heanor.
Which council covers HMOs in Derby?
Derby is covered by Derby City 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 house to HMO conversion cost in Derby?
Our guide ranges for East Midlands 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.
House to HMO conversion near Derby
- Belper · 7 mi
- Ilkeston · 8 mi
- Heanor · 8 mi
- Ripley · 8 mi
- Long Eaton · 9 mi
- Burton upon Trent · 11 mi
- All of Derbyshire
Other HMO services in Derby
- Small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Derby
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in Derby
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Derby
- Ensuite installation in Derby
- Communal kitchen refits in Derby
- Layout changes and room reconfiguration in Derby
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Derby
- Escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping in Derby