The days when you could rely on the government or your company to help fund your retirement are long gone, meaning you’re on your own to save for retirement.
With that in mind, successful landlords and investors throughout London and the UK are now converting their properties into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) to maximise their positive cash flow, boost the value of their properties and quadruple their rental incomes.
As HMO architects and planning consultants, we specialise in HMO conversions for students, young professionals and social housing. We have a track record of producing many successful projects for holiday lets, B&B accommodation, high-end HMO and large sui generis HMO.
If you are serious about discovering ways to convert your property to a multi-let HMO and maximise your cash flow, we can help you too. As our client, we can oversee every stage of your HMO project, from planning permission and building regulations to contractor selection and construction inspection, and guide you every step of the way.
We’ll assess how you can achieve the maximum number of HMO rooms, increase room sizes and provide high standards of multi-let accommodation with en-suite facilities.
We’ll find out whether you can build a highly profitable house-share model and rent out your property on a multi-let HMO basis to maximise your cash flow.
HMO conversion planning rules can be complicated and contradictory. New HMO regulations are launched daily stipulating new sets of requirements but we have the skills and expertise to guide you throughout.
With over 900 successful projects – including all types of conversions in Article 4 Direction areas and conservation areas in London – we’ll streamline your multi-let property development process. We’ll produce your HMO planning drawings, design the most profitable layout according to HMO planning policies and regulations and successfully get your HMO planning permission.
Our designs incorporate the best use of space to provide you with the maximum number of brand-new HMOs for individual rentals. Our planning and design concept will ensure that each room feels spacious, bright and appealing to future tenants.
So whether you’d like to convert your family home into a premium HMO for students or young professionals or plan to build large, high-end sui generis HMOs, we’ll help you generate significant ROI.
Once we’ve secured planning permission for splitting your HMO conversion, we progress to the Technical Design + Building Regulations stage, followed by the Contract Administration + Construction Inspection stage, where your idea will be transformed into fruition.
Our proven approach to HMO conversions will help you avoid complications and monitor your building costs. Working collaboratively with your team of contractors, we’ll plan, develop and build your HMO with minimal stress to complete your project on time and on budget.
“ Urbanist Architecture provided an outstanding service in respect of our successful Certificate of Lawfulness application. I had a very tight time frame and they managed to get the whole process tied up in less than a week. ”
Amanda N. — South Norfolk
“ Friendly, helpful and professional approach. Very impressed by how they took care of my planning application and made it such a simple and easy process thank you. ”
O. Wilson — London
“ What an awesome service from a great firm, all of the aggravation I had from Dagenham Council melted away with the professional approach. They comprehensively met the questions raised and gave me peace of mind. ”
Mr & Mrs Jezeph — London
“ Ana gave me a fast appraisal of the feasibility of my project, changing the design and saving me much time and money submitting an application to the council that would have likely been unsuccessful. ”
Thomas D. — London
“ I found working with Adam and Ufuk a pleasure and their understanding of the planning process especially in a difficult conservation area; tested all their skill sets and some! ”
D. Sawyerr — London
“ I have managed to find UA online, and after a quick search on their web page I was sure they are the right company for my project. I needed help with a Retrospective Planning Application which we managed to have been granted a few months after. I had the luck to work with Nicole throughout the project, and honestly I would like to say that she is a very professional person. I am looking forward to work with you in the near future. ”
Rado — London
“ I used Urbanist Architecture after having been previously given poor advice from another service- so naturally I was quite wary of using another service - my planning needs were of a specialised nature and Urbanist was able to confidently help me to navigate the planning complexities to successfully gain me the planning permission needed for my project. I would most definitely recommend Urbanist for your planning needs. ”
E. Ross — London
You can quadruple your rental income from multiple HMO room rental while minimising the impact of voids and non-payments.
BA(Hons) MA
Managing Director
A House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a property that is occupied by more than one household, and in which residents share facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, or cooking areas. Some houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) will require planning permission and/or a property licence. This will depend on their size and the number of people that live there.
Planning regulations classify HMOs as either small or large depending on the number of occupants. Small HMOs (Class C4) are properties housing between three and six unrelated people who share amenities whereas Large HMOs (Class sui generis) are properties housing seven or more people sharing.
If you are going to rent your HMO to between three and six people, you may not require planning permission under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order of 1995. However, more and more councils are employing Article 4 Directions, which effectively remove the PD rights for this change of use. In this case, you’d have to apply for planning permission to convert a single dwelling house into a small HMO.
If you are going to rent your HMO to seven or more people, you will need to get planning permission for change of use. Large HMOs are often used as a form of affordable housing, but they can also present a range of management and safety challenges. Landlords are legally obliged to have a licence for Large HMOs and comply with various legislation and regulations to ensure safety, habitability and health standards of the property and its occupants.
In the UK, HMOs are also often required to be licensed by the local council, which means that they must meet certain standards in terms of health and safety, as well as fire safety.
Additionally, the council can enforce fines or prosecution if landlords do not comply with the regulations. It's worth noting that the regulations and laws for HMOs can vary depending on the location, so it's important to check the specific planning and licensing regulations that apply in your borough if you are planning on converting your house into an HMO.
Once a planning application for an HMO conversion is submitted, the local council will review such application and consider factors such as the impact of the HMO on the surrounding area, the number of residents, and the availability of off-street parking. The council may also take into account the local housing market, housing needs, fire safety measures, and adequate provision for waste storage and disposal.
With all HMO conversions, rules and regulations apply depending on the condition of your house and your local planning authority. The preparation and submission of planning applications for HMO conversions requires technical expertise, design skills, excellent presentation and negotiation skills as well as a keen interpretation of planning policies. As HMO architects and planning consultants experienced in property conversions, we will determine which planning rules and building regulations are applicable to your property and draw up accurate and detailed architectural drawings for HMO planning permission and HMO building regulations approval.
At Urbanist Architecture, we always endeavour to think outside the box of traditional residential and HMO space planning. Every brief is an exciting opportunity to rethink and explore new spatial possibilities and stretch our imagination, whether the HMO conversion demands extension or refurbishment. From increasing ceiling height to enhancing natural light, we will materialise your individuality and tastes without compromising quality or budget.
We are a multidisciplinary team of architects, planning consultants, interior designers and project managers offering multiple services under one roof. When you work with our firm, you have the support of our entire studio behind you - no matter what.
Extensions with extra space, light, comfort and good vibes
Conversion of houses into multiple flats with greatest return
Custom houses with refined and beautifully proportioned spaces
Block of flats with maximum value and commercial viability
New use class system with huge opportunities and flexibility
HMO conversions with decent standards and maximum yields
We specialise in crafting creative design and planning strategies to unlock the hidden potential of developments, secure planning permission and deliver imaginative projects on tricky sites
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