Portfolio + real refusals

What gets approved.
And what doesn’t.

Below are representative HMO conversions drawn from Applecore PDM’s 1,000+ project portfolio, plus an annotated planning refusal that shows where the rules actually bite. Identifying details are changed except where a refusal is on the public record.

Refused — annotated

Where it goes wrong, and how Northwall catches it.

REFUSED

REFUSED · 40a Penhale Road, Portsmouth

Portsmouth council →
Refusal date · 2026-03-19

Retrospective application for Class C4 HMO use refused by Portsmouth City Council. The council found the property lacked a separate communal living room and that the dining room was inadequately sized with no outlook or daylight — failing the Portsmouth HMO SPD 2019 space standards.

Council’s stated reasons
  • Lacks a separate communal living room
  • Dining room is inadequately sized
  • Dining room lacks outlook or daylight
How Northwall catches this now
  • Refusal grounds cited: HMO SPD 2019, Plan PCS23, emerging Local Plan PLP22, NPPF 2024
  • Northwall now flags missing-living-room layouts before submission
  • If a separate living room is impossible, a combined living space must be ≥24 m² (3–5 persons) or ≥34 m² (6+) to be accepted
Property: terraced·Council: Portsmouth·Source document ↗
Approved — representative conversions

Five conversions across five councils.

Professional 5-bed HMO · Portsmouth

Portsmouth council →
Bedrooms
3 → 5
Acquisition
£235k
Conversion
£62k
Gross yield
8.7%

Operating as a Professional Home under Applecore Property Services. Full occupancy within 31 days of completion.

  • Borough-wide Article 4: full planning application secured pre-purchase
  • Mandatory HMO licence approved on first submission
  • Feasibility engine flagged sub-7 m² bedroom before architect review
Monthly gross rent: £2,150·Property: terraced·Council: Portsmouth

Student 6-bed HMO · Headingley, Leeds

Leeds council →
Bedrooms
4 → 6
Acquisition
£295k
Conversion
£78k
Gross yield
9.3%

Pre-let to a student group six months before completion. 52-week academic lease.

  • Inside Article 4 area — full planning required for C3 → C4
  • Two additional bathrooms added to meet 1-per-3 standard
  • Fire-rated escape route routed through new corridor
Monthly gross rent: £2,880·Property: semi·Council: Leeds

5-bed HMO conversion · Radford, Nottingham

Nottingham council →
Bedrooms
3 → 5
Acquisition
£165k
Conversion
£71k
Gross yield
10.4%

Licensed and tenanted as a working-professional HMO. Nottingham's stricter standards required council-specific bedroom minima.

  • Council overrides national minima — 8 m² single, 11 m² double
  • Nottingham-wide Article 4 — planning consent required
  • Selective licensing scheme applied to the postcode
Monthly gross rent: £2,050·Property: terraced·Council: Nottingham

Co-living 7-bed conversion · Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

Birmingham council →
Bedrooms
0 → 7
Acquisition
£380k
Conversion
£195k
Gross yield
10.2%

Disused office floor converted to 7-bed co-living scheme. Targeted at young professionals on tech corridor.

  • Use-class change B1 → sui generis HMO
  • Borough-wide additional licensing covers the building
  • Shared work-from-home lounge designed in for retention
Monthly gross rent: £4,900·Property: commercial·Council: Birmingham

Small 3-bed HMO · Fareham

Fareham council →
Bedrooms
3 → 3
Acquisition
£240k
Conversion
£38k
Gross yield
6.5%

Light-touch conversion: existing bedrooms retained, fire compliance and additional bathroom added.

  • No Article 4 — C3 → C4 under permitted development
  • No additional or selective licensing
  • Mandatory HMO licence not required (only 3 tenants)
Monthly gross rent: £1,500·Property: semi·Council: Fareham
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