Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Loughborough we start by measuring every room and checking Charnwood Borough Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Loughborough isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
HMO rules in Charnwood Borough Council
| Rule | Charnwood Borough Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole borough, 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028 |
| Selective licensing | In part of the area Hastings and Lemyngton wards in Loughborough, 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2028 |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area Loughborough, since 12 February 2012 |
Checked October 2026 against Charnwood Borough Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Charnwood Borough Council's Article 4 direction covers Loughborough, so turning a family house in Loughborough into a small HMO needs planning permission. We prepare the planning application before any conversion work starts. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Charnwood Borough Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (until 31 March 2028), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
HMO fire safety works for Loughborough landlords
We carry out HMO fire safety works in Loughborough to a written specification taken from the fire risk assessment and the local council's HMO standards. That keeps the work proportionate, because a small two-storey house and a large three-storey one in Loughborough rarely need the same measures.
Typical jobs in Loughborough include fire doors with self-closers, interlinked alarms, emergency lighting and fire stopping of hidden gaps. Every job across Leicestershire ends with commissioning certificates, photos of concealed work and a logbook for routine tests.
- Mains-wired interlinked smoke and heat detection
- Fire doors fitted with self-closers, seals and correct gaps
- Fire stopping around pipes, cables, hatches and cupboards
- Emergency lighting where the escape route needs it
- Specification taken from the fire risk assessment and council standards
Sharer demand in Loughborough
Loughborough 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.