Student HMO refurbishment across Kent

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 Kent, priced against the HMO rules for England and the council’s own standards.

Nation: England
Pricing region: South East
Postcode areas: TN, CT, ME, DA
Main towns: Saint Peters, Maidstone, Gillingham, Chatham, Royal Tunbridge Wells

What does student HMO refurbishment in Kent involve?

Extra bathroom or ensuites
Fire safety checks and upgrades
Study space and sockets in every room
Robust flooring and wipe-clean paint
Summer works programme agreed in spring
Broadband and electrics upgrades

Which rules apply in Kent?

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.
Smoke alarms on every storey with living accommodation and CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances (other than gas cookers) are required by law.
BS 7671, the wiring standard, calls for arc fault detection devices in HMOs on new socket circuits, such as rewires and consumer unit changes.
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 Kent?

Regional adjustment for South East. 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	£4,500 – £10,100	letting room
Communal HMO kitchen with extra cooking and sink capacity (our estimate from domestic ranges)	£8,000 – £18,000	£8,950 – £20,150	kitchen
Shared bathroom refit	£5,500 – £9,000	£6,150 – £10,100	bathroom
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)	£800 – £2,000	£900 – £2,250	house
Full rewire, 4–5 bedroom house	£6,000 – £12,000	£6,700 – £13,450	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 Kent

Questions about student HMO refurbishment in Kent

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.

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.

Do you carry out student HMO refurbishment across Kent?

Yes, across the whole of Kent, including Saint Peters, Maidstone, Gillingham.

Who licenses HMOs in Kent?

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