Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Kenilworth we start by measuring every room and checking Warwick District Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Kenilworth isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
HMO rules in Warwick District Council
| Rule | Warwick District Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole district, from 18 January 2024 for five years |
| Selective licensing | Not confirmed |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area The whole of Leamington Spa, since 1 April 2012 |
Checked October 2026 against Warwick District Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Warwick District Council's Article 4 direction covers the whole of Leamington Spa, not Kenilworth, so changing a family house here into a small HMO is usually permitted development. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Warwick District Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (from 18 January 2024 for five years), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
Communal kitchens and bathrooms for Kenilworth landlords
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Kenilworth, 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 Kenilworth before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Kenilworth are chosen for heavy daily use: sealed worktops, wipe-clean wall panels, separate food storage and isolation valves on every fitting. Across Warwickshire, each kitchen gets the heat detection and fire blanket the fire risk assessment calls for.
- Heavy-duty units, sealed worktops and slip-resistant flooring
- Heat detection and fire blanket where required
- Isolation valves on every fitting
- Separate food storage space for each occupant
- Layout sized to your council's amenity standards
Student and sharer lets in Kenilworth
Kenilworth 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.