Warranty for refurbishing and upgrading an existing HMO
Adding ensuites, reworking the layout, putting in new kitchens or bringing a tired HMO up to date - cover for the work, with help when a lender or a refinance needs a warranty.
- 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
The short answer
Yes, you can get warranty cover for refurbishing an HMO that is already let. Structural work in the refurbishment can usually be covered by a structural warranty, and the ensuites, kitchens and fit-out by non-structural cover from providers that offer it. A refurbishment with no structural work at all may only need the non-structural cover.
Typical refurbishments
Structural, non-structural or neither
Common HMO refurbishment and retrofit work, and which kind of cover it usually falls under. Check against the policy wording in your quotation - providers draw the lines in slightly different places.
| Refurbishment work | Usually falls under | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adding ensuites to existing rooms | Non-structural | Structural too if joists or walls are cut or strengthened for the drainage |
| New communal kitchen or kitchenettes | Non-structural | Appliances are normally left out |
| Reworking the layout - new partitions | Non-structural | Structural if load bearing walls are removed or altered |
| Removing load bearing walls, adding steels | Structural | Needs an engineer's drawings and calculations |
| Loft room, dormer or extension | Structural | New floor, roof or foundations |
| New roof covering | Waterproof envelope | On many structural policies, sometimes with its own conditions |
| Rewiring, new plumbing, extract fans | Non-structural | Depending on the policy |
| Redecorating, new carpets, furniture | Neither | Cosmetic work and contents are not warranty matters |
Lenders and refinancing
When a lender asks for cover on a refurbishment
A refurbishment often goes hand in hand with a refinance - you add rooms or ensuites, the property is worth more, and you move onto a new mortgage. Some lenders want to see a warranty or a professional consultant's certificate where significant work has been done recently, particularly if walls have come out or rooms have been added.
Each lender sets its own rules, so ask yours early what it will need, and tell us. If the work is already finished, see finished HMOs and refinancing.
Timing
As with any warranty, it is simplest to arrange before the work starts. With an HMO that is already let, plan the inspections around the tenants - the provider's surveyor needs access at the key stages, and work done in occupied rooms needs to be inspected before it is closed up.
Refurbishment or conversion?
This page is for an HMO that is already an HMO. If you are turning a family house into an HMO for the first time, that is a conversion - see house to HMO conversions. The difference matters to a provider: a change of use usually brings more structural change and a closer look at the existing house.
What we usually need to quote
- A description of the work, and the floor plans as existing and proposed
- Engineer's drawings and calculations if any structural work is involved
- The number of rooms, the cost of the works and the rebuild cost of the property
- Who is doing the work, when it starts and whether a lender has asked for cover
HMO refurbishment warranty questions
Can I get a warranty for refurbishing my existing HMO?
Yes. Structural work can usually be covered by a structural warranty, and the fit-out by non-structural cover from providers that offer it.
Does adding ensuites to an HMO need a warranty?
There is usually no law that says it must have one. You may want cover to protect the work, and a lender may ask for one if you refinance afterwards.
Will a warranty cover a refurbishment with no structural work?
A structural warranty would have little to cover. Non-structural cover for the ensuites, kitchens and fit-out is the usual answer, where a provider offers it on its own.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026 by the HMO Warranties team. General information only - not advice. Your cover is set by the policy wording.
Get a quote for your HMO refurbishment
Tell us about the HMO and the work you are planning. We will come back with the cover that fits and the providers likely to offer it.
- 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.
