Specialist House Share, Rooms To Rent & H.M.O. Consultancy

Nationwide rooms to rent (house share) agency to help take the pressure out of finding a room to rent or a lodger. H.M.O. licensing consultancy and hands on management for professional house shares and H.M.O. property.

Setting up a professional HMO

This information should give you some tips on setting up a HMO

There are lots of views to setting up a HMO, but being an agency that rents rooms out full time, we have our own view - from the rent ability to the tenants needs. Our view is based on our tenant clients needs. The tenant tells us what they are prepared to pay, and what they are prepared to accept as facilities. As we market H.M.O property every day, we understand both the advantages and pitfalls. We do offer local training days, for more details please read more on our HMO Training Course page.

HMO Rules & Regulations

There are not as many scary rules and regulations as most people think in setting up a HMO. It takes just one call to your local council (and you must call them, as all councils are different) to get an outline of what is expected of you in your area. For a more in-depth guide to the definitions, rules and regulations read here

HMOClient Base

Now when you are thinking about setting one up, you must prepare yourself. First of all, check out the area - what type of client is likely to live in the area? Professional or tenants in receipt of LHA (Local Housing Allowance). There would be no point in setting up a HMO for professionals, if no professionals would move into the area, for example if it was in an Ex Local Authority area you would be less likely to get professionals, and in a new property on a luxury development you would. We advise against mixing the two clientele, as this can often end in tears.

Furnishing a HMO

We recommend that you pick a furnishing level and keep it consistent. Granny's old furniture is out (see saggy sofa to the left). Modern fresh long lasting quality - is in!

If you furnish the property with Argos cheap furniture (see above left at �99 a set) then expect it to break easily, look tatty in no time, and expect to get cheap tenants say �65 to �75 per week.

The pictures that are used online (places like Spareroom) to market your room are the first impression tenants get of your property. With us, this applies to Rightmove and other portals. If you provide rubbish furniture, expect it to be treated like rubbish. If you go for something hard wearing (see below Old Mill Pine), attractive and quality - it will last 10+ years, look good and rent your rooms much faster. We would expect to achieve anything from �85 to �115 per week for a room looking good in a good location. Shop around you can get good deals for bulk purchases.

The same applies to the kitchen equipment. Supply thin rubbish pans, and expect them to be dented and looking horrible in no time. Provide good quality pans and hand them on a pan display rack - they will be more likely to stay looking good! Soft furnishing / carpets Lots of landlords install black out blinds in the bedrooms.

To minimise carpet replacement - I would opt for wooden long lasting floor (yacht varnish?). If you have to use carpet, do it in the lounge to make it homely, in the TV area, but put wood in the dining area. Kitchen / laundry / bathroom areas should have proper industrial flooring. Selling a room is relatively easy - there are lots of things the landlord can do to help this process.

A bare mattress with stains on, frayed bed base, dirty whirly pattern carpet, curtains falling off, light bulb not working, shade missing will not sell a room!

You only need one room fully dressed in the 8 rooms available, to sell them all. How to dress a room in a HMO. Decent furniture Coordinated colour scheme Light bulbs all working and nice shade, Good quality (ironed) duvet set / big pillows, fluffy cushions Floor rug, Lamps on bedside table / desk Good quality curtains & black out blind Pictures (like a show home type) Mirrors - bedroom and en-suite TV on wall Basically take a good clean hotel room, and duplicate it!

Decorating your HMO

Minimal ongoing decorating is required if you do not paint the woodwork with white paint - and stain it instead. All too often decorators paint over fluff, seal things shut and cause more problems by painting every year to freshen up a property.

HMO Kitchen / Bathrooms

Straight lines in the kitchen are important to help the tenants keep it clean. Avoid joins in work tops, put metal / glass splash backs (not tiles - as grout gets dirty fast). Put in at least a 6 ring hob (built in not freestanding) for 5 rooms (check with planning for 6+) Supply at least one kitchen cupboard per tenant, one freezer draw and a shelf in a fridge. Some landlords put a fridge in each room - I would say this is a luxury item, but can help sell a room.

Services and facilities to offer in a HMO

You are competing with other landlords to rent out your rooms. The more you can offer, the higher your chance of catching - and keeping that all important tenant You don't want room hoppers to just use you as a base when they move into an area, while they find somewhere nicer.

• Wireless internet (some offer free unlimited land line calls too)
• Sky TV in lounge (basic pack)
• Freeview box in each bedroom
• Washing machine access
• Coin / card operated tumble dryer
• Outdoor drying area (pagoda) with a few lines
• Bicycle storage area

Encourage HMO harmony

The more you do to prevent conflict, the longer tenants generally stay together. Simple things like allocating cupboard / fridge space to people, taking away the worry of calculating bills, providing everything most homes have, and offering people the opportunity to have their own space in a shared environment (comfy single chairs in lounge, dining area, possible reading room?

Put up notices

Notices may sound silly, but for some people every day things are not obvious. If there are clear rules and boundaries - then the tenants have less opportunity to get frustrated with each other. Put up little reminder notices for people to keep sinks / drainers clear. Leave cloths available with instructions to wipe down shower after use. Encourage everyone to keep front and back doors locked. You don't want everyone out, thinking someone is in and someone clearing the place out! Label cupboards / shelves so that everyone gets a fair slot