HMORefurbishment
0800 088 6341 Get a quote

HMO refurbishment

Student HMO refurbishment

Hard-wearing refurbs for student houses, timed around the academic year.

  • Free site visit and measured survey
  • Built to the council’s HMO standards
  • Certificates and photos at handover
Get a guide price0800 088 6341
Refurbished communal lounge and dining area in a shared house
In short: A student HMO refurbishment upgrades a shared house let to students, using hard-wearing finishes and planned around the academic year so the work is finished before the next tenancy starts. Kitchens, bathrooms, fire safety and study space are usually the priorities.

What does student HMO refurbishment include?

  • Summer works programme agreed in spring
  • Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops
  • Extra bathroom or ensuites
  • Study space and sockets in every room
  • Fire safety checks and upgrades
  • Robust flooring and wipe-clean paint
  • Broadband and electrics upgrades
  • Photo handover before move-in

When do landlords need it?

  • Houses let to students on yearly tenancies
  • The summer gap between tenancies
  • Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks

What rules apply in each UK nation?

The law differs between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and councils publish their own HMO standards on top. These are the points that usually matter for this work.

England

  • Mandatory HMO licence for 5 or more people in 2 or more households (since October 2018); councils can add additional licensing for smaller HMOs.
  • National rules ask for an adequate number of bathrooms, WCs and basins and suitably located kitchens; numeric ratios are set by each council.
  • Fire precautions follow a risk assessment; the LACORS Housing – Fire Safety guide (2008) is guidance, not law, but many councils base their standards on it.
  • Electrical installations must be inspected and tested at least every 5 years; remedial work is due within 28 days, or sooner if the report says so.

All HMO rules for England

Wales

  • Mandatory licence for HMOs with 3 or more storeys and 5 or more people in 2 or more households; Wales did not adopt England’s 2018 change.
  • Kitchen and bathroom ratios are set in each council’s HMO standards.
  • Fitness for human habitation rules require mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey and CO alarms where there is a gas, oil or solid-fuel appliance.
  • An electrical inspection and test at least every 5 years, with the report given to the contract-holder within 14 days.

All HMO rules for Wales

Scotland

  • Every HMO needs a council licence: 3 or more people who are not all from one or two families, sharing basic amenities. Licences last up to 3 years.
  • Kitchen, WC and bathroom ratios come from council standards; one WC and one bath or shower per 5 people is a common figure.
  • The tolerable standard requires interlinked smoke alarms in the main living room and circulation spaces and a heat alarm in the kitchen; licensed HMOs must meet the council’s higher standard.
  • An EICR before the first let and at least every 5 years, with C1 and C2 items fixed, PAT testing of supplied appliances and RCD protection.

All HMO rules for Scotland

Northern Ireland

  • A licence is needed where 3 or more people forming more than two households live as their main home and pay rent; the NI HMO Unit at Belfast City Council licenses for every council.
  • Kitchens, bathrooms and WCs must meet the 2019 living accommodation standard regulations and licence conditions.
  • The NIFRS HMO Fire Safety Guide (July 2026) usually expects Grade D1 interlinked detection in smaller shared houses and a Grade A system with more than 6 occupants or over 200 m².
  • HMO licence conditions require a satisfactory EICR at least every 5 years.

All HMO rules for Northern Ireland

How much does student HMO refurbishment cost?

UK typical budget ranges. See local pages for regional guides.
ItemUK typicalPer
Full refurbishment per letting room, with a share of communal areas (excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate)£4,000 – £9,000letting room
Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges)£8,000 – £18,000kitchen
Shared bathroom refit£5,500 – £9,000bathroom
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)£800 – £2,000house
Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house£6,000 – £12,000house

Typical time on site: 2–8 weeks over summer. Your fixed price follows a site visit; use the guide-price tool for a figure for your house.

How the job runs

  1. Free site visit and measured survey.
  2. Itemised written quote and programme.
  3. Works with one point of contact and photo updates.
  4. Handover with certificates, drawings and photos.

Questions about student HMO refurbishment

When should I book a summer student refurbishment?

By spring if you can. The window between tenancies is short and contractors in university towns book up quickly.

What finishes last best in student houses?

Commercial-grade vinyl or laminate, quartz-effect laminate worktops, wipe-clean paint and good extraction to keep condensation down.

Can you work around a 1 July or 1 September start?

Yes. We agree a programme backwards from the move-in date and tell you early if anything is at risk.

Do student HMOs need a licence?

The same licensing rules apply as for any HMO. Many university towns also run additional licensing schemes, so we check the address.

Related services

Where we work

Choose a nation and area for local rules, postcodes and regional prices.

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Planning HMO works?

Free site visit, then a fixed written quote itemised against your council’s standards.

Get a guide priceCall 0800 088 6341
CallGet a quote