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. In London, a city of over a million people, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards.
- Area
- Greater London, England
- Postcodes
- EC1A, EC1M, EC1N and EC1R
- Pricing region
- London
What does student HMO refurbishment in London involve?
- Photo handover before move-in
- Hard-wearing kitchens and worktops
- Fire safety checks and upgrades
- Extra bathroom or ensuites
- Broadband and electrics upgrades
Which rules apply in London?
Here is what usually applies to a London job of this kind. It is general information rather than legal advice, and the council’s written HMO standards have the final detail.
- Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.
- 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.
- BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in London?
| 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 | £5,100 – £11,500 | letting room |
| Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges) | £8,000 – £18,000 | £10,250 – £23,050 | kitchen |
| 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 |
| Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house | £6,000 – £12,000 | £7,700 – £15,350 | house |
Use these as a starting point for budgeting. Access, condition and the council’s requirements in London can move the figure either way, which is why we quote after seeing the house.
How long does it take?
Allow 2–8 weeks over summer on site for a typical job. Drawings, approvals and long-lead items such as kitchens or fire door sets are booked before we start.
When do London landlords need it?
Landlords in London most often ask us for this when:
- Houses let to students on yearly tenancies
- Houses that need to compete with purpose-built student blocks
Questions about student HMO refurbishment in London
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.
Which postcodes in London do you work in?
All of them, including EC1A, EC1M, EC1N and EC1R, and the surrounding parts of Greater London.
Does a shared house in London need an HMO licence?
In England, a mandatory licence is needed for 5 or more people from 2 or more households. Smaller HMOs can need a licence where the council runs additional licensing, which is common in towns with many shared houses. Check the council’s website for the address.
How much does student HMO refurbishment cost in London?
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.
Student HMO refurbishment near London
- City of Westminster · 1 mi
- Pimlico · 1 mi
- Islington · 2 mi
- Camden Town · 2 mi
- Chelsea · 2 mi
- Chalk Farm · 3 mi
- All of Greater London