A small HMO is a shared house for three to six unrelated people. In Leicester, a city of around 350,000 people, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards. With students as well as working sharers renting in Leicester, we plan bigger jobs for the gap between academic-year tenancies where we can.
- Area
- Leicestershire, England
- Postcodes
- LE1, LE19, LE21 and LE87
- Location
- 34 miles east of Birmingham
- Council
- Leicester City Council
- Pricing region
- East Midlands
What do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Leicester involve?
- Locks, door closers and thumb-turn locks on the exit route
- Fire doors to rooms off the escape route
- Interlinked smoke and heat detection
- Decoration and durable flooring
- Electrical upgrades and certificate
Which rules apply in Leicester?
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 Leicester before we price.
- Mandatory HMO licence for 5 or more people in 2 or more households (since October 2018); councils can add additional licensing for smaller HMOs.
- 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.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- 3–6 unrelated sharers is use class C4; changing from a family house is usually permitted development unless an Article 4 direction applies.
Leicester City Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force in part of the council area Directions in force from 20 Aug 2014 (Westcotes, Clarendon Park, Central) and a 2021 direction for West, East and South sub-areas in effect 28 Nov 2022; further extension 17 Feb 2023. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | No scheme found |
| Selective licensing | In force in part of the council area Parts of Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields, Fosse, Saffron, Spinney Hills, Stoneygate and Westcotes, 10 Oct 2022-9 Oct 2027 (supplementary designation for omitted streets from 29 Dec 2022). |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Leicester before you buy or start work. Source: Leicester City Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) cost in Leicester?
| 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 |
| Shared bathroom refit | £5,500 – £9,000 | £5,350 – £8,750 | bathroom |
| Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides) | £800 – £2,000 | £780 – £1,950 | house |
| FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted | £300 – £600 | £290 – £580 | door |
Prices in Leicester 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 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 Leicester.
When do Leicester landlords need it?
We usually get the call when:
- An existing small HMO needs bringing up to date
- You want a three to six sharer layout that fits the local planning rules
Questions about small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) in Leicester
How many bathrooms does a small HMO need?
National rules in England say amenities must be adequate for the number of sharers, and councils set the numbers: often a bathroom plus a separate WC at five people and a second bathroom from six. We work to the figure your council publishes.
Do you cover all of Leicester?
Yes. We work across Leicester and the LE1, LE19, LE21 and LE87 postcode areas, plus the rest of Leicestershire. Nearby places we also cover include Oadby, Wigston Magna, Loughborough.
Which council covers HMOs in Leicester?
Leicester is covered by Leicester 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 do small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) cost in Leicester?
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.
Small HMO conversions (3–6 sharers) near Leicester
- Oadby · 3 mi
- Wigston Magna · 4 mi
- Loughborough · 9 mi
- Coalville · 12 mi
- Hinckley · 12 mi
- Melton Mowbray · 14 mi
- All of Leicestershire
Other HMO services in Leicester
- House to HMO conversion in Leicester
- Ensuite installation in Leicester
- Fire alarm and detection systems in Leicester
- Communal kitchen refits in Leicester
- Fire doors in Leicester
- Licence condition and schedule-of-works in Leicester
- Escape routes, emergency lighting and fire stopping in Leicester
- Damp, mould and HHSRS repairs in Leicester