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. In Catford, a town of around 45,000 people in Greater London, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards.
- Area
- Greater London, England
- Postcodes
- SE6 and SE23
- Location
- 6 miles south-east of London
- Council
- London Borough of Lewisham
- Pricing region
- London
What does house to HMO conversion in Catford involve?
- Layout drawings showing bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and the escape route
- Rewiring or upgrades, with an electrical certificate
- Extra bathrooms, shower rooms or ensuites
- Measured survey and room-size check against the licensing standards
- Fire doors, fire-rated linings and an interlinked fire alarm
Which rules apply in Catford?
The rules below are the England-wide position for this kind of work. Councils add their own standards and schemes on top, so we always check the address in Catford before we price.
- Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.
- Licensed HMOs must meet national minimum bedroom sizes: 6.51 m² for one person aged 10 or over, 10.22 m² for two, and 4.64 m² for a child under 10.
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- 7 or more sharers is a sui generis large HMO and normally needs planning permission.
London Borough of Lewisham: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force across the council area Direction for southern wards from 2020, extended to the rest of the borough from 2024. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | In force across the council area Borough-wide additional licensing 5 Apr 2022-4 Apr 2027. |
| Selective licensing | In force in part of the council area Selective licensing in 18 of 19 wards (excludes Telegraph Hill and parts of Blackheath) from 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2029. |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Catford before you buy or start work. Source: London Borough of Lewisham HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much does house to HMO conversion cost in Catford?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical 3–4 bed house to a 5–6 bed HMO, all-in | £30,000 – £75,000 | £38,400 – £96,000 | project |
| Conversion works per letting room (walls, linings, electrics, decoration; excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate) | £3,500 – £6,500 | £4,500 – £8,300 | letting room |
| Ensuite shower room added to a bedroom | £4,000 – £10,000 | £5,100 – £12,800 | ensuite |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £10,250 – £23,050 | kitchen |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £1,000 – £2,550 | house |
These are typical ranges including VAT, adjusted for London, where costs run above the UK average. The fixed price for a house in Catford follows a site visit.
How long does it take?
Most jobs of this kind take 6–14 weeks. If a council deadline applies in Catford, tell us at the first call so the programme is built around it.
When do Catford landlords need it?
Landlords in Catford most often ask us for this when:
- A council has said an existing shared house needs works before a licence
- A family let is moving to room-by-room letting
Questions about house to HMO conversion in Catford
Can you work to a council’s HMO standards document?
Yes. Councils publish their own amenity and space standards. We read the one for your address and work to it, including kitchen and bathroom ratios.
Which postcodes in Catford do you work in?
All of them, including SE6 and SE23, and the surrounding parts of Greater London.
Which council covers HMOs in Catford?
Catford is covered by London Borough of Lewisham. 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 Catford?
Our guide ranges for London 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 Catford
- Blackheath · 2 mi
- Greenwich · 2 mi
- Beckenham · 3 mi
- Peckham · 3 mi
- Eltham · 3 mi
- Brixton · 4 mi
- All of Greater London
Other HMO services in Catford
- Small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Catford
- Large HMO conversions (7+ sharers) in Catford
- HMO fire safety upgrades in Catford
- Ensuite installation in Catford
- Communal kitchen refits in Catford
- Layout changes and room reconfiguration in Catford
- Shared bathroom and shower room refits in Catford
- Student HMO refurbishment in Catford