How we arrange your HMO warranty
Tell us about the property, we prepare the proposal form with you, insurer quotes usually come back within one working day of a completed proposal, then the provider inspects the work and issues the certificate.
- 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
You tell us about the HMO, we prepare the provider's proposal form with you and get quotes, and once you accept, the provider registers the project, inspects the work at key stages and issues a certificate when it is finished. Start before work begins on site if you can.
Timeline
How long each step takes
| Step | What happens | Usual timescale |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Your enquiry | You send the basics by the form, a call or WhatsApp. You get an instant reply with your reference. | Instant |
| 2. Our call | We talk through the property, the work and the cover you want, and say what the providers will need. | Usually the same working day |
| 3. The proposal form | We fill in the provider's proposal form with you from your plans and answers. You check it and sign it online. | As soon as we have your answers and plans |
| 4. Quotes | The providers review the proposal and quote. You get a written quotation with every cost shown separately. | Usually within one working day of a completed proposal |
| 5. Registration | You accept, pay the provider and the project is registered - ideally before work starts. | When you are ready |
| 6. Inspections | The provider's surveyor inspects the work at key stages. | During the build |
| 7. Certificate | Once the work is finished and signed off, the provider issues the certificate and the cover runs from then. | At completion |
We do the paperwork
We prepare the proposal form with you
A warranty proposal form runs to around ninety boxes. Most landlords and developers would rather not fill it in from scratch, so we do it with you. Send us what you have - plans, the engineer's calculations, a few answers by email, WhatsApp or on a call - and we fill in the form and only ask for what is still missing.
You then check every answer on a private page and sign it online. A few questions - about past claims and insurance history - you always answer yourself when you sign.
Best time to start: before work begins
Register before work starts on site if you possibly can. The provider sees the existing house before it is opened up, inspects the new work as it goes in, and more providers will consider the project. Already started? Talk to us anyway - see finished HMOs and refinancing.
What we need from you
Information for an HMO warranty quote
This is what providers usually ask for on HMO work. Send what you have - we can usually tell you early which providers are interested and what else they will want.
- The property address, or the town and postcode if it is not bought yet
- A description of the work and the number of lettable rooms
- Existing and proposed floor plans, and elevations or photos
- The cost of the works and the rebuild cost of the finished property
- Who is doing the work, and their experience
- Structural engineer's drawings and calculations, if walls come out or rooms are added
- A condition survey of the existing house, if you have one
- Your building control route
- Whether a lender or investor has asked for cover, and by when
- If you have started: photos and building control records so far
Inspections and certificates
What happens during the work
The provider appoints its own surveyor, who inspects to the provider's technical standards. The surveyor is separate from building control, although the two often look at the same stages. On an HMO the visits usually concentrate on:
- the existing house once it is stripped out and the structure can be seen
- new foundations, steels and structural openings before they are covered
- a loft room or extension, and the roof structure
- drainage and waterproofing for the ensuites, before it is boxed in
- completion, before the certificate is issued
If the surveyor finds something that needs putting right, it is dealt with on site and signed off before the certificate is issued. Keep the certificate safe - your lender, a buyer or their conveyancer will ask for it.
How it works - questions
How do I get a warranty for an HMO conversion?
Through a broker like us or direct from a provider that takes on HMO work. With us you send the basics, we prepare the proposal form with you, get quotes, and arrange the registration and inspections once you accept.
How long does an HMO warranty quote take?
Every enquiry gets an instant reply, we usually call the same working day, and once we have your completed proposal and plans, insurer quotes usually come back within one working day.
When should I apply for a warranty?
Before work starts on site. It keeps more providers interested, lets the provider inspect as the work goes in and is usually cheaper than cover arranged afterwards.
Do I pay anything before I accept a quote?
No. Our quotations are free and there is no obligation. Our modest broker fee is only charged on success - if we do not arrange your cover, you pay us nothing.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026 by the HMO Warranties team. General information only - not advice. Your cover is set by the policy wording.
Start with step one
Tell us about your HMO in under a minute and we will take it from there.
- 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.
