Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Humberstone we start by measuring every room and checking Leicester City Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Humberstone isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
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 Humberstone 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.
Communal kitchens and bathrooms for Humberstone landlords
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Humberstone, 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 Humberstone before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Humberstone are chosen for heavy daily use: sealed worktops, wipe-clean wall panels, separate food storage and isolation valves on every fitting. Across Leicestershire, each kitchen gets the heat detection and fire blanket the fire risk assessment calls for.
- Separate food storage space for each occupant
- Isolation valves on every fitting
- Layout sized to your council's amenity standards
- Heavy-duty units, sealed worktops and slip-resistant flooring
- Extract ventilation and certified electrical work