Landlords in Derby deal with Derby City Council for licensing, planning and housing standards. We keep those three in view together, so a layout that suits the licence also works for planning and building control.
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 Derby City Council
| Rule | Derby City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | None found |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area Arboretum ward and parts of seven wards inside the ring road, since 3 May 2025 |
Checked October 2026 against Derby City Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Derby City Council's Article 4 direction covers Arboretum ward and parts of the wards inside the ring road. Whether a house in Derby 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 Derby City Council, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for.
How we handle HMO kitchen and bathroom work in Derby
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Derby, sized to the amenity standards the local council applies to the number of people in the house. Those standards differ between councils, so we check the current version for Derby before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Derby are chosen for heavy daily use: sealed worktops, wipe-clean wall panels, separate food storage and isolation valves on every fitting. Across Derbyshire, each kitchen gets the heat detection and fire blanket the fire risk assessment calls for.
- Heat detection and fire blanket where required
- Separate food storage space for each occupant
- Isolation valves on every fitting
- Layout sized to your council's amenity standards
- Extract ventilation and certified electrical work
Sharer demand in Derby
Derby 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.
Communal kitchens and bathrooms near Derby
- Allestree 1.7 miles
- Littleover 1.7 miles
- Chaddesden 1.8 miles
- Mickleover 3 miles
- Alvaston 3.1 miles
- Belper 6.9 miles