A small HMO is a shared house for three to six unrelated people. For a house in Stratford we start with a measured survey, check the council’s written HMO standards for the number of sharers, and then price each item separately. Stratford has a university population, so many shared houses are let to students on yearly tenancies, and summer is the main window for works.
- Area
- Greater London, England
- Postcodes
- E15
- Location
- 6 miles east of London
- Council
- London Borough of Newham
- Pricing region
- London
What do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Stratford involve?
- Decoration and durable flooring
- Fire doors to rooms off the escape route
- Locks, door closers and thumb-turn locks on the exit route
- Second bathroom, shower room or ensuites
- Room-by-room size check before any work starts
Which rules apply in Stratford?
Small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Stratford 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.
- National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
- 3–6 unrelated sharers is use class C4; changing from a family house is usually permitted development unless an Article 4 direction applies.
London Borough of Newham: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force across the council area Borough-wide Article 4 Direction (C3 to C4) since 31 Jul 2013. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | In force in part of the council area Additional licensing in 22 of 24 wards (all except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park) 1 Jan 2023-31 Dec 2027. |
| Selective licensing | In force in part of the council area Selective licensing in the same 22 wards from 1 Jun 2023 to 31 May 2028. |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Stratford before you buy or start work. Source: London Borough of Newham HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) cost in Stratford?
| 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 |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £7,050 – £11,500 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £1,000 – £2,550 | house |
| FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted | £300 – £600 | £380 – £770 | door |
These are typical ranges including VAT, adjusted for London, where costs run above the UK average. The fixed price for a house in Stratford follows a site visit.
How long does it take?
Allow 4–10 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 Stratford.
When do Stratford landlords need it?
Landlords in Stratford most often ask us for this when:
- You want a three to six sharer layout that fits the local planning rules
- A three or four-bedroom house you want to let to sharers
Questions about small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Stratford
What is the smallest room I can let?
In a licensed HMO in England, a room for one person aged 10 or over must be at least 6.51 square metres, not counting floor under a ceiling lower than 1.5 metres. Councils can set larger sizes, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own standards. We measure every room before you commit to a layout.
Do you cover all of Stratford?
Yes. We work across Stratford and the E15 postcode areas, plus the rest of Greater London. Nearby places we also cover include Bow, Canning Town, Canary Wharf.
Which council covers HMOs in Stratford?
Stratford is covered by London Borough of Newham. We read the council’s written HMO standards before pricing, and you should check the licence position for the exact address.
How much do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) cost in Stratford?
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.
Small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) near Stratford
- Bow · 1 mi
- Canning Town · 2 mi
- Canary Wharf · 2 mi
- Leytonstone · 2 mi
- Ilford · 4 mi
- Barking · 4 mi
- All of Greater London
Other HMO services in Stratford
- House to HMO conversion in Stratford
- Ensuite installation in Stratford
- Fire alarm and detection systems in Stratford
- Communal kitchen refits in Stratford
- Fire doors in Stratford
- Licence condition and schedule-of-works in Stratford
- Student HMO refurbishment in Stratford
- Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Stratford
