HMO Warranties - building insurance
Row of period terraced houses on a London street, the kind often converted into HMOs

Warranties for HMO conversions, refurbishments and fit-outs

Structural warranties for the building and cover for the ensuites, kitchens and fit-out work inside it - arranged by a specialist broker that fills in the proposal form with you and usually has insurer quotes back within one working day.

  • Instant response
  • Insurer quotes usually within one working day of your proposal
  • UK FCA Regulated Broker
  • Structural and non-structural cover
  • We fill in the proposal form with you

Fast answers

No more waiting weeks for a warranty quote

A slow broker holds up your site, your sales and your funding. We work to clear timescales.

1

Instant response

Send us your details and you get an instant reply by email with your reference and what we need next.

2

A call the same working day

We usually contact you the same working day to talk through your HMO project and the providers likely to cover it.

3

Insurer quotes usually within one working day

Once we have your completed proposal and drawings, insurer quotes usually come back within one working day. Retrospective cover and unusual sites can take longer.

The short answer

An HMO warranty is insurance that pays to put right certain defects in an HMO after the work is finished. A structural warranty covers the building itself for 10 or 12 years, and some providers also offer non-structural cover for the ensuites, kitchens and fit-out that an HMO conversion is mostly made of.

Lenders, buyers and investors are the ones who usually ask for it. We find the providers likely to cover your HMO, prepare the proposal form with you and arrange the cover.

At a glance

Structural and non-structural HMO cover side by side

General information as at 30 October 2026. Cover, periods and limits are set by each provider's policy wording and shown in your quotation.
Structural warrantyNon-structural cover
What it is forDefects in the structure - foundations, load bearing walls and frame, floors, the roof structure and on many policies the waterproof envelopeDefects in non-structural work - typically ensuites and shower rooms, kitchens and fit-out, depending on the policy
How longUsually 10 or 12 years from completionSet by the provider and usually different from the structural period - your quotation shows it
Who usually asks for itMortgage and development lenders, buyers and their lenders, investors and fundersLandlords and investors who want the fit-out protected, and some funders
Best time to arrangeBefore work starts, so the provider can inspect as the work goes inBefore work starts - talk to us early
How the HMO is certificatedUsually one certificate for an HMO kept as one propertySet out in the policy schedule
Not coveredWear and tear, maintenance, appliances, accidental damage and anything excluded in the wordingWear and tear, maintenance, appliances, accidental damage and anything excluded in the wording
Instant replywith your reference, and a call usually the same working day
1 working dayis how long insurer quotes usually take once we have your completed proposal
We fill it inwe prepare the proposal form with you from what you send us
FCA regulatedinsurance broker, firm reference number 912378

How it works

From first message to final certificate

  1. Tell us about the HMO

    The property, the rooms, the work and the cover you want. Two minutes on the form, a call or WhatsApp.

  2. We prepare the proposal

    We fill in the provider's proposal form with you from your plans and answers, so you only check and sign it.

  3. Your quotes

    Insurer quotes usually within one working day of a completed proposal, with every cost shown separately.

  4. Inspections

    The provider's surveyor inspects the work at key stages while it is being done.

  5. Certificate

    Once the work is finished and signed off, the provider issues the certificate and the cover starts.

Read how an HMO warranty works

Cost

What does an HMO warranty cost?

As a rough guide, a structural warranty for an HMO conversion registered before work starts comes to around 1.25% of the rebuild cost, and around 1.5% for one that is already finished (plus a modest broker fee, only charged if we arrange your cover). Non-structural cover is priced case by case.

The rebuild cost is what it would cost to rebuild the finished property - not what you paid for it and not what it will be worth. Minimum premiums mean a small job can work out at a higher percentage. Only a quotation gives the real price.

See HMO warranty costs and worked examples

Loft bedroom in a shared house with a desk under the window

Questions

Common questions about HMO warranties

Who arranges warranties for HMO conversions in the UK?

Specialist warranty brokers like us arrange them with warranty providers and insurers that take on HMO work. Not every provider does, and those that do look closely at the layout, the structural changes and the standard of the fit-out. We know which are likely to consider your project.

Can a warranty cover more than the structure of an HMO?

Yes, from some providers. Alongside a structural warranty, or on its own, non-structural cover can protect work such as ensuites, kitchens and fit-out. What is covered, for how long and the limits depend on the policy. See non-structural HMO cover.

Do I need a warranty for an HMO?

There is usually no law that says you must have one. Whether you need one depends on who funds, buys or refinances the HMO. See do I need an HMO warranty for a scenario table.

Are you an insurer?

No. We are an insurance broker. We find and arrange cover for you, and the warranty is provided by the warranty provider or insurer named in your quotation.

See all HMO warranty questions

Last reviewed 30 October 2026 by the HMO Warranties team. General information only - not advice. Your cover is set by the policy wording.

WARRANTYWIZARD

Got a quick question first?

Ask our Exclusive AI Powered WARRANTYWIZARD - how HMO warranties work, what lenders usually expect or what documents to get ready.

WARRANTYWIZARD is AI powered and answers straight away, day or night. Like any AI it can occasionally make mistakes, and it gives general information about HMO warranties, not advice or a price - so check anything important with our team, and for a quote use the project form or call us.

Warranty with WhatsApp

Do the whole thing on WhatsApp

You can handle the whole process on WhatsApp - questions, photos and drawings, your proposal, your quotes and arranging your cover.

A person on our team replies in UK working hours. Message us any time and we will pick it up as soon as we are back.

Tell us about your HMO

Give us the basics - the property, the rooms and the work - and we will come back with the providers likely to cover it, what they will need and an idea of cost.

  • Takes under a minute
  • Instant reply by email with your reference
  • Insurer quotes usually within one working day of your completed proposal
  • HMOs anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Free and no obligation

Already filled in a proposal form? Email it to us or send it on WhatsApp with any drawings you have and we will take it from there.

Already started or finished? Tell us why you need the warranty and by when (optional)

Which of these do you have? (tick any)

We are a broker, not an insurer. Cover is provided by the warranty provider named in your quotation.

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