Another big town council cracks down on HMOs
Reigate and Banstead Councillor's announcement follows research showing almost a third of local authorities in England have imposed Article 4 directions.
A leading town council in the South East has revealed plans to tighten up its HMO planning regulations after reporting a big increase in complaints about this type of private rental property.
Reigate and Bansted Borough Council is seeking the views of landlords, tenants and freeholders on its proposal to seek an Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights for HMO properties rented by at least three people from more than one household who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom.
If the plan goes forward – as it widely expected – landlords seeking to convert houses into this kind of HMO will need to go through the full planning process so that the Council can “fully consider each proposal’s location, design, accommodation standards and potential impact on neighbours and communities”.
Larger HMOs, for seven or more residents, already need planning permission.
Reigate & Banstead is the latest council in England to take this course of action and follows recent reports that the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is to widen the geographical areas where such Article 4 directions can apply – which are relatively narrow at the moment.
Analysis by The Sunday Times last weekend found that almost a third of local authorities – 127 councils including 57 run by Labour – in England have imposed Article 4 directions, which oblige landlords and developers to seek planning permission for an HMO.
“HMOs can provide an important source of lower-cost housing for people who need it, and these proposals are not about preventing them,” says Councillor Kate Fairhurst (main image).
Complaints
“However, we have seen an increase in the number of HMOs in the borough and complaints about them.
“So, we want to put planning checks in place to help us make sure that future HMOs are in appropriate locations, are well designed, and do not have a negative impact on local communities. Many of our neighbouring councils have already taken similar steps to manage pressures in their local areas.”
The consultation is running for eight weeks from 30 July to 24 September 2026. The Article 4 Direction, if voted through, will go live on 30 July 2027.
