Property Certificates in Crookes

Crookes is in Sheffield's S10 postcode district, on the west side of the city, and many University of Sheffield students live in the area. Crookes and neighbouring Crookesmoor have a lot of Victorian terraces converted into shared student homes, alongside housing that suits families and professionals too.

EPC Register data for S10 covers 12,614 certificates. S10 also takes in Broomhill, Fulwood, Ranmoor and Endcliffe, so these are district-wide figures, not Crookes alone. As of 31 May 2026, 60.6% of the rented homes among them sit below EPC band C.

Most rented homes in this part of Sheffield will need work to reach the C rating the government has confirmed for 2030.

Student Lets and Article 4 in Crookes

Crookes falls within Sheffield City Council's Article 4 area (in force since 10 December 2011), so converting a family home into a house in multiple occupation (HMO) for 3 to 6 unrelated people needs planning permission. If you are buying to let or converting, get that agreed before you invest in certificates. Separately, a HMO needs a licence from the council if 5 or more tenants live there as more than one household and share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen. A family of five or more living together counts as one household, so that alone does not make a house a HMO. Once a property is let, the certificate rules are the same as anywhere in Sheffield:

• A valid EPC, which lasts 10 years and must show at least an E rating unless there is a registered exemption.
• An EICR, renewed at least every five years.
• A Gas Safety Certificate, renewed annually, wherever the property has gas appliances.

The government has also confirmed a C-rating requirement for rented homes by 1 October 2030. That is not law yet, so our MEES consultancy can help you plan ahead.

Fire Safety and HMO Rules

Fire Risk Assessment isn't just a HMO requirement. Any residential building let out as more than one household — a converted terrace split into flats, for example — needs a Fire Risk Assessment for its shared parts (hallway, stairs, any communal storage), under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005; the landlord, freeholder or managing agent usually carries that duty.

HMOs bring additional obligations on top: local authorities typically require PAT testing as a licence condition, and landlords have a duty to assess Legionella risk, which our Legionella risk assessment covers.

Commercial Property on Crookes High Street

Crookes also has a busy high street: around 100 businesses trade along it, from cafes and pubs to independent shops. Each of them needs a Fire Risk Assessment by law. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 add a duty to keep electrical systems safe without naming a specific check, which is why so many businesses book an EICR and PAT testing. Where a pub or café has air conditioning adding up to 12kW or more, it will also need a TM44 inspection. A commercial EPC is needed if you're selling or letting the unit.