Towcester sits within West Northamptonshire Council, which sets its own HMO standards for room sizes, kitchens and bathrooms. Our designs start from those standards, so the layout we price is designed to meet the council's licensing requirements.
We cover NN12 and the neighbouring postcodes, with the same standards in Towcester as anywhere else in Northamptonshire.
HMO rules in West Northamptonshire Council
| Rule | West Northamptonshire Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In part of the area Parts of Northampton and Daventry, 24 February 2025 to 23 February 2030 |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area The whole former Northampton borough, plus the Boughton Rise development |
Checked October 2026 against West Northamptonshire Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
West Northamptonshire Council's Article 4 direction covers the whole former Northampton borough, not Towcester, so changing a family house here into a small HMO is usually permitted development. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. West Northamptonshire Council's additional licensing covers parts of Northampton and Daventry, which doesn't include Towcester, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for there.
Our large HMO conversion service in Towcester
For larger houses and buildings in Towcester, we assess whether an HMO for seven or more people is realistic before any design money is spent. That means checking local planning policy, the structure, the escape routes and how many kitchens and bathrooms the occupancy would need.
If the scheme works, we prepare the planning drawings, agree the fire strategy with building control and build floor by floor. It suits bigger properties in Towcester and across Northamptonshire where a six-bedroom layout would leave usable space empty.
- Kitchens and bathrooms sized to council amenity standards
- Feasibility check of the building, layout and planning policy
- Floor-by-floor build programme with building control inspections
- Planning drawings and room schedule for the application
- Fire strategy agreed with building control at the start
Large HMO conversions near Towcester
- Northampton 9.2 miles
- Brackley 9.7 miles
- Daventry 11.2 miles
- Wellingborough 17.1 miles
- Rushden 19.7 miles
- Rugby 20.1 miles