HMO conversion drawings in London

Which planning route an HMO takes

The Use Classes Order divides small and large HMOs. For a small one the rule is: Class C4: not more than six residents. Anything bigger is outside Class C4 and, by law, needs planning permission as its own use.

A change from a family house to a small HMO is often permitted development: C3 to C4 is permitted development unless an Article 4 direction removes it. That makes the Article 4 check the first thing we do. Where a council has a direction, a full application is needed instead.

Councils can only make such directions on evidence. National policy says: Article 4 directions may target over-concentration of small HMOs, on robust evidence and the smallest area necessary. Our change of use drawings and planning drawings cover the application where one is needed.

Licensing and room sizes

Licensing is separate from planning and applies in every borough. The mandatory rule reads: Licence required for an HMO occupied by 5 or more persons in 2 or more households. Check with your council for any licensing scheme beyond that national rule.

Room sizes are set in law. The minimums are: Sleeping rooms: at least 6.51 m² (one person over 10), 10.22 m² (two persons over 10), 4.64 m² (child under 10); floor under 1.5 m ceiling height not counted. A bedroom that falls short of its figure does not meet the standard at that occupancy, so we design with margin.

Where a loft or basement is part of the plan, headroom can quickly reduce the usable area. Our floor plans service is how we record those areas accurately.

Fire safety and the London Plan

Alarms are the baseline for any dwelling and HMOs are no different: All dwellings: fire detection and alarm system minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 (BS 5839-6), mains-operated smoke alarms to BS EN 14604. Your council's licensing team sets any further requirements, and we ask them before drawing.

At the strategic level, the London Plan treats these homes as a housing resource. The London Plan policy on HMOs says: Boroughs should take account of HMOs' role in housing need; HMOs of a reasonable standard should generally be protected.

That policy does not override a borough's own Article 4 direction. It does set the London-wide starting point that decent HMOs have a place.

HMO conversion drawing prices

HMO conversion drawings start at £995, VAT included. The fee is fixed and published before you commit, and we confirm it after the free constraints check.

If an application is needed the council's fee is paid separately to the council. We redraw at no charge until approval if the council requests changes, but we do not promise the decision.

Splitting the house into self-contained units instead? That is a different scheme, priced under flat conversion drawings. Adding a room at the back first? See rear extension drawings.

How an HMO job runs

You tell us the address and how many tenants you want. We check Article 4, conservation areas, listed status and planning history and then send a fixed quote.

A measured survey comes next, followed by layout options in 3D and plan. You choose one in writing and the design is frozen. A second chartered technologist checks each sheet before anything is issued.

Drawings are normally ready about a week after the survey. Any submission follows, with officer queries handled and amendments made within five working days.

Layout choices that help an HMO

Room size is the visible test, but the shared spaces decide whether a layout works. A kitchen too small for the number of tenants, or too few bathrooms, can lead a licensing authority to ask for changes. We draw the shared spaces to the council's own standard rather than the minimum that fits.

Fire safety shapes the plan from the start. Escape routes, door positions and alarm locations are drawn rather than left to the builder, and a fire risk assessment may be needed on top of the drawings.

Check the lease and the mortgage as well, because some prohibit shared occupation and drawings cannot override that. A house with more occupants than the small-HMO limit is a different use, and our change of use drawings page covers that route.

HMO drawings by council

The HMO question is more local than almost any other, because Article 4 directions for small HMOs differ by borough and street. Our council pages record where a direction exists. See architectural drawings in Camden for how those pages are laid out.

Check your own borough from architectural drawings by area before you buy or convert.