HMO room prep in Exeter
Professional hmo room prep services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£110-£260
Typical Duration
2-5 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
HMO room prepped to licensing standards and ready for new tenants. I'll check fire safety requirements, fix any damage, test alarms, and make sure everything meets regs.
Fast Turnarounds Between HMO Tenants
You've got a room empty and you need it lettable again. Fast. Every week it sits empty costs you money.
I work with landlords all over Exeter who run HMOs - I know the drill. Get in, check it meets standards, fix what's broken, make it presentable, get out. No drama.
💡 Pro tip: Book me for the morning after a tenant moves out. I can flag any issues early so you're not scrambling at the last minute if something needs a specialist.
What HMO Prep Actually Involves
Not just a lick of paint and a hoover - HMOs have actual legal requirements you need to meet.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Common Problems |
|---|---|
| Smoke alarm tested and working | Old alarm that chirps or doesn't work |
| Fire door closes properly | Door wedged open or won't shut |
| Minimum room size met | Room too small, will fail inspection |
| Light fittings safe and working | Exposed wires, missing shades |
| Furniture secure and stable | Wobbly wardrobe, unsafe shelving |
What You Get
🔧 The Compliance Check
| Item | What I Do |
|---|---|
| Smoke alarm | Test, replace battery, or fit new if needed |
| Door | Check closes properly, locks work, hinges tight |
| Electrics | Safe light fittings, working sockets (not testing circuits - that's your EICR) |
| Walls/ceiling | Patch holes, check for damp, make presentable |
| Furniture | Secure to walls if needed, check stability |
📦 You're Left With
- Room that meets basic HMO standards
- Any compliance issues flagged for you to sort
- Presentable space ready to photograph and let
Pricing Guide
| Room Condition | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Good condition (just testing/checking) | 2 hrs | £110 |
| Minor repairs needed | 3 hrs | £160 |
| Full refresh (patch, paint, repairs) | 4-5 hrs | £210-£260 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Painting a whole room takes longer - I'll quote separately for that.
Perfect For Your Situation If...
✅ Between tenancies - get it turned around fast
✅ Pre-inspection prep - make sure you'll pass
✅ New HMO setup - get rooms compliant from the start
✅ Failed inspection - sort the issues quickly
Why Choose Us for HMO room prep in Exeter?
Meets all HMO licensing requirements
Quick turnarounds between tenancies
Fire safety regs checked and sorted
Room ready to photograph and let
What to Expect
Step 1: Quick Assessment
I'll walk the room, check smoke alarms, fire door, electrics, general condition. Flag anything that won't meet standards.
Step 2: Fix What's Needed
Patch holes, tighten fittings, replace alarm batteries, adjust doors - whatever the room needs to be compliant and presentable.
Step 3: Final Check
Test everything works, clean up, give you a heads-up on anything that needs a specialist (like dodgy sockets that need an electrician).
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to keep your HMO rooms in good nick yourself? Here's what to check:
🔧 Regular checks between tenants
- Test smoke alarm (button on the front - should beep loudly)
- Check fire door closes by itself from any angle
- Look for loose sockets or dodgy light fittings
- Check furniture is secure (especially tall wardrobes)
- Patch any holes in walls before they get worse
📐 HMO compliance basics
- Single room needs to be at least 6.51m² for one person
- Double room needs 10.22m² minimum
- Every room needs a working smoke detector
- Fire doors must close automatically and latch properly
- Electrical installation needs testing every 5 years (EICR)
⚠️ Common landlord mistakes
- Ignoring chirping smoke alarms ("tenants should deal with that")
- Fire doors wedged open permanently
- Overloading sockets with extension leads
- Furniture not secured (falls on tenants = your problem)
- Letting small damage build up into big problems
💡 Pro trick: Keep spare smoke alarms and batteries in stock. Testing an alarm when a tenant moves out takes 2 seconds - fitting a new one because it failed costs you time and stress.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🏠 Running multiple HMOs? I can do regular room checks for you - catch issues before they become compliance problems. Much cheaper than failed inspections.
Multiple rooms to turn over? Let me know - I can prioritize the ones you've got viewings for and batch the others together to save you money.
Need a cleaner too? I work with a couple of reliable folks who do HMO cleans. Can coordinate so the room's fully ready in one go.
Exeter's older houses are tricky - wonky floors, period features, plaster that crumbles if you look at it funny. I deal with this stuff all the time. Your Victorian terrace conversion isn't going to phase me.
Frequently Asked Questions
What actually needs doing to prep an HMO room?
Depends what state it's in, but typically: smoke alarm tested, furniture secure/stable, any damage patched up, locks working, light fittings safe. I'll check it meets the basic HMO standards - minimum room sizes, fire doors if needed, that sort of thing. If something's not compliant, I'll flag it.
Can you help with HMO licensing requirements?
I'm not a licensing expert, but I know what inspectors look for - working smoke alarms, fire doors shutting properly, safe electrics, no trip hazards. I'll make sure the room's in good shape for inspection and flag anything that might cause problems. You'll still need your EICR and gas cert from qualified sparks and gas engineers.
How quickly can you turn a room around between tenants?
Depends what needs doing. Simple refresh (patch holes, test alarms, deep clean help) can be same or next day. Full repaint and repairs is usually 2-3 days. I work with landlords all the time - I know you need it done fast.
Do you provide materials or do I buy them?
Either way works. Most landlords have me pick up paint, filler, whatever's needed from the merchant and add it to the bill. Saves you a trip and I know what works well. If you've already got stuff, I'll use that.
What's the difference between standard room prep and HMO prep?
HMO has stricter rules - fire safety is the big one. Every room needs a working smoke alarm, fire doors need to close properly, no dodgy electrics. I also check minimum room sizes are met and furniture's safe. Regular rental prep is more cosmetic - just making it look nice.
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