Turn your house into a higher-earning HMO
For many owners, a traditional single let earns less than it used to once costs and the new rules are counted. A suitable house converted into a well-run, licensed HMO can bring in more each month. We handle it end to end: planning, the works, the licence and the tenants.
We run and license HMOs ourselves
We run multiple HMOs and have taken them through licensing ourselves, so we know what it takes: the licence conditions, fire safety, bills, cleaning and managing the people who live together. And because we're construction professionals, the conversion is designed, priced and delivered properly.
From family house to licensed HMO
We check the layout, planning position, licensing and local room demand, and show you the numbers.
Where planning permission is needed, we prepare the layout and the application.
Fire doors and alarms, bathrooms, kitchen and room layouts, built to HMO standards for a fixed price.
Licence secured, rooms let to referenced tenants, and the house managed from day one.
You choose how the conversion is paid for
We'll recommend the option that suits your house at your feasibility review. Guaranteed rent terms depend on the property and the works needed.
You pay our fixed quote for the works and keep the full benefit of the higher rent. The property can then go on full management, rent collection or tenant find, whichever suits you.
We pay for the works and recover the cost through a guaranteed rent agreement. You receive a fixed monthly rent for an agreed term, with no refurbishment bill and no management fees.
Licensed, safe and legal
We prepare the licence application and make sure the house meets its conditions, then keep every certificate in date. Letting a single-household home in a selective licensing area? We handle those licences too.
HMO or selective licence. Council fee extra.
per month, for landlords who manage their own property
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Gas safety | A Gas Safe engineer checks every gas appliance each year. Tenants get a copy. |
| Electrical safety (EICR) | A qualified electrician inspects the installation at least every five years. |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Needed to let the property, with a minimum rating of E. |
| Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms | A smoke alarm on every storey, and CO alarms where there's a fixed combustion appliance. Tested at the start of each tenancy. |
| Deposit protection | Deposits protected within 30 days and the prescribed information given to the tenant. |
| Right to Rent | Checks on every adult tenant before the tenancy starts, with records kept. |
| Licences | HMO, additional or selective licences where the council requires them, and their conditions. |
HMO conversions questions
Do I need planning permission?
Very often, yes. Royal Greenwich requires planning permission to turn a house into an HMO anywhere in the borough, and Lewisham requires it in Grove Park, Bellingham, Downham and Whitefoot. Houses for seven or more people need planning permission everywhere. We check this first, before you spend anything.
Do I need an HMO licence?
A house shared by five or more people from more than one household needs a mandatory HMO licence everywhere. Royal Greenwich and Lewisham also license smaller shared houses of three or more. We prepare and submit the application for £350, plus the council's own fee.
How much more will it earn?
It depends on the house, the number of rooms and the street, so we don't quote a figure without looking. An HMO usually brings in more rent than a single let, but it also costs more to run: bills, furnishing, licensing and closer management. We model both sides for your house before you commit.
Who pays for the conversion?
You can pay our fixed price for the works and keep the full rental income, or we can fund the works and pay you a fixed monthly rent for an agreed term through guaranteed rent.
Is my mortgage or insurance affected?
Usually. Most residential mortgages and standard landlord insurance don't allow an HMO, and a leasehold property needs the lease to permit it. We'll tell you what to check with your lender and insurer before any work starts.
Could your house work as an HMO?
Tell us about it and we'll check the layout, planning position and numbers.