Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Leicester we start by measuring every room and checking Leicester City Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
Because we also manage and maintain HMOs, we design with day-to-day running in mind: hard-wearing finishes, sensible storage and layouts that keep shared spaces usable.
HMO rules in Leicester City Council
| Rule | Leicester City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | None found |
| Selective licensing | In part of the area Parts of Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, Westcotes, Stoneygate and Saffron, 10 October 2022 to 9 October 2027 |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area Several areas of the city, including Westcotes, Clarendon Park and the centre, first in force 20 August 2014 and since extended |
Checked October 2026. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Leicester City Council's Article 4 direction covers several areas of the city, including Westcotes, Clarendon Park and the city centre. Whether a house in Leicester needs planning permission to become a small HMO depends on whether it is inside that boundary, which we check for the exact address. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. We found no additional licensing scheme in force in Leicester City Council, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for.
How we handle HMO en-suite installation work in Leicester
We fit en-suite shower rooms in HMO bedrooms across Leicester, starting with a check that each bedroom still meets its size standard once the en-suite is built. Councils take different views on whether en-suite floor area counts, so we confirm the local position first.
Older houses often have joists running the wrong way and soil stacks in fixed positions, so in Leicester we check the drainage route under the floor before quoting. Every en-suite we fit in Leicestershire is finished with a ducted fan, certified electrics and fire stopping.
- Extract fan ducted to outside with overrun control
- Bedroom measured to confirm it still meets size standards
- Drainage route checked under the floor at survey
- Fire stopping where pipes pass through floors and walls
- Shower, toilet, basin and wipe-clean wall finish fitted
Letting to students and sharers in Leicester
Leicester is close to a university or college campus, so students and young professionals are part of the local rental market. If that is your market, layouts with en-suites, a generous kitchen and secure bike storage are worth planning in from the start.