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 cover LE11 and the neighbouring postcodes, with the same standards in Loughborough as anywhere else in Leicestershire.
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.
Our HMO refurbishment service in Loughborough
We refurbish existing HMOs in Loughborough that have fallen behind current standards, whether the prompt is a licence renewal, a council inspection or rooms that have become hard to let. The survey splits the work into safety, licence and optional items so the priorities are clear.
Where rooms in a Loughborough house are still let, we phase the work so tenants keep a working kitchen, bathroom and alarm system throughout. For landlords across Leicestershire, each job ends with updated certificates and photos ready to send to the council.
- Fire doors, alarms and escape routes brought up to standard
- Before and after photos and updated certificates
- Kitchens, bathrooms, electrics and decoration renewed as agreed
- Room-by-room condition and compliance survey
- Phasing plan that keeps occupied rooms usable
Student and sharer lets 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.