A void refurbishment is the work done while a room or house is empty between tenancies: repairs, redecoration, flooring, deep cleaning and safety checks, done quickly so the room can be let again. In Preston, a city of around 300,000 people in Lancashire, the work is planned around the HMO rules for England and the council’s written HMO standards. Preston has a university population, so many shared houses are let to students on yearly tenancies, and summer is the main window for works.
- Area
- Lancashire, England
- Postcodes
- PR0, PR1 and PR11
- Location
- 27 miles north-east of Liverpool
- Council
- Preston City Council
- Pricing region
- North West
What do void and between-tenancy refurbs in Preston involve?
- Final clean and photo report
- Fire door, closer and alarm checks
- Carpet, vinyl or laminate replacement
- Pre-void walk-round and fixed-price list
- Redecoration in hard-wearing finishes
Which rules apply in Preston?
Void and between-tenancy refurbs in Preston must satisfy national law for England, the council’s written HMO standards and, where walls, drainage or fire separation change, the building rules. In short:
- 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.
- Councils can fine up to £7,000 where a Category 1 hazard is not removed when it reasonably could have been.
- Council standards often step up at 5 and 6 sharers, for example a separate WC at 5 and a second bathroom from 6.
- Smoke alarms on every storey with living accommodation and CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances (other than gas cookers) are required by law.
Preston City Council: local HMO schemes
| Article 4 (HMO) | In force in part of the council area Existing direction for defined areas (2012). New direction covering Preston's main urban area (consulted Feb-Mar 2026) due to take effect Feb 2027. |
|---|---|
| Additional licensing | Not confirmed: check with the council |
| Selective licensing | Proposed Proposed selective licensing for City Centre, St Matthew's and Plungington wards; consultation closed 11 Oct 2026, no decision yet. |
Schemes change. Check the council’s current pages for the exact address in Preston before you buy or start work. Source: Preston City Council HMO licensing page, checked 2026-10-31.
How much do void and between-tenancy refurbs cost in Preston?
| Item | UK typical | Local guide | Per |
|---|---|---|---|
| Between-tenancy turnaround per room: repairs, redecoration, flooring (our estimate) | £600 – £1,800 | £580 – £1,750 | room |
| Mould treatment and making good | £250 – £500 | £240 – £480 | room |
| FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted | £300 – £600 | £290 – £580 | door |
These are typical ranges including VAT, adjusted for North West, where costs run below the UK average. The fixed price for a house in Preston follows a site visit.
How long does it take?
Allow 3–10 working days 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 Preston.
When do Preston landlords need it?
We usually get the call when:
- Rooms empty between tenancies
- Before re-letting a house you have just bought
Questions about void and between-tenancy refurbs in Preston
How quickly can you turn a room around?
A single room redecoration with flooring is often two to four working days. A whole house at the end of a tenancy is usually one to two weeks, depending on what the walk-round finds.
Which postcodes in Preston do you work in?
All of them, including PR0, PR1 and PR11, and the surrounding parts of Lancashire.
Which council covers HMOs in Preston?
Preston is covered by Preston 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 void and between-tenancy refurbs cost in Preston?
Our guide ranges for North West 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.
Void and between-tenancy refurbs near Preston
- Leyland · 5 mi
- Chorley · 9 mi
- Blackburn · 9 mi
- Fylde · 10 mi
- Darwen · 11 mi
- Lytham St Annes · 12 mi
- All of Lancashire