Student HMO refurbishment across Cambridgeshire

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. We carry this out across Cambridgeshire, priced against the HMO rules for England and the council’s own standards.

Nation: England
Pricing region: East of England
Postcode areas: CB, PE, SG
Main towns: Peterborough, Cambridge, Wisbech, Saint Neots, Huntingdon

What does student HMO refurbishment in Cambridgeshire involve?

Fire safety checks and upgrades
Study space and sockets in every room
Broadband and electrics upgrades
Summer works programme agreed in spring
Extra bathroom or ensuites
Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops

Which rules apply in Cambridgeshire?

Licences last up to 5 years and carry conditions on gas and electrical safety, alarms, room sizes and waste.
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.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.

Councils in England can add additional licensing and Article 4 directions on top of the national rules. Check the council’s website for the exact address before you buy or start work.

How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in Cambridgeshire?

Regional adjustment for East of England. Planning budgets: see our prices page.
Item	UK typical	Local guide	Per
Full refurbishment per letting room, with a share of communal areas (excludes kitchens, bathrooms and fire systems; our estimate)	£4,000 – £9,000	£4,250 – £9,550	letting room
Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges)	£8,000 – £18,000	£8,500 – £19,100	kitchen
Shared bathroom refit	£5,500 – £9,000	£5,850 – £9,550	bathroom
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)	£800 – £2,000	£850 – £2,100	house
Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house	£6,000 – £12,000	£6,350 – £12,700	house

Typical time on site: 2–8 weeks over summer. For a figure for your house, try the guide-price tool.

Student HMO refurbishment by town in Cambridgeshire

Questions about student HMO refurbishment in Cambridgeshire

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.

Do you carry out student HMO refurbishment across Cambridgeshire?

Yes, across the whole of Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough, Cambridge, Wisbech.

Who licenses HMOs in Cambridgeshire?

HMOs in Cambridgeshire are licensed by the local council for the address. Where an area has several councils, each runs its own licensing and planning policies.