Student accommodation and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) present a particular surface repair challenge. High occupancy, frequent tenant turnover, and the reality of shared-space living all contribute to accelerated surface wear. End-of-tenancy or change-of-use surface repair is one of the most cost-effective tools available to HMO landlords and student accommodation operators — and it’s often significantly cheaper than the deductions landlords might make from deposits.
Why Surface Repair Makes Sense for HMOs
HMO and student properties experience higher-than-average surface wear for several reasons: shared kitchens used by multiple occupants, bathrooms with no single user taking responsibility, and the general pattern of short-term occupancy where tenants have less emotional ownership of the space. This creates predictable patterns of damage that benefit from periodic professional repair rather than full replacement cycles:
- Kitchen worktop chips, burns and staining from multiple users
- Bath and shower tray chips and cracks from frequent use
- Tile chips in bathrooms and kitchens
- Floor damage — vinyl lifting, LVT chips, laminate edge damage
- Scuffs and gouges on window sills, skirting surfaces
Deposit vs Repair: What’s Cheaper?
Many HMO landlords find that professional surface repair is cheaper than the deposit dispute process. A chip in a bath worktop repaired professionally for £80–£150 may result in a £200–£500 deposit deduction disputed through the tenancy deposit scheme — a process that takes weeks and rarely results in full recovery. Professional repair simply removes the damage from the equation.
Planned Maintenance for Student Lets
Student accommodation typically has a predictable academic year vacancy window — usually July to September — when properties are vacant between tenancies. Scheduling surface repair during this window is the most efficient approach: one visit addressing accumulated damage from the previous tenancy and preparing the property for the incoming one. For HMO landlords with multiple rooms, a single visit covering all rooms is more cost-effective than ad hoc per-room scheduling.
Common HMO Surface Repairs
- Kitchen worktop chips and burns — laminate and solid surface
- Acrylic bath chips and shower tray damage
- Bathroom tile chips and grout line damage
- Vinyl and LVT floor damage
- Ceramic sink chips
- Window sill damage
Pricing for HMO Landlords
We offer competitive pricing for landlords with multiple properties or multiple rooms in a single property. Contact us with details of the scope of work and number of rooms for a tailored quote.
