Council clamps down on family homes being converted into HMOs

Sutton Council has confirmed moves to ensure that any proposal to turn family homes in the borough into Houses for Multiple Occupation (HMOs) will require planning consent.

Councillors on the Housing, Economy & Business Committee gave the green light to proposals to withdraw existing ‘permitted development’ rights across Sutton for larger houses to become small HMOs. 

Permitted development rights were introduced by the previous government in 2015 and allow changes to homes without the need to apply for planning permission from the local council. This includes homes being converted into Houses for Multiple Occupation - where more than one household lives in the same property in different rooms but using shared facilities.  

Residents in Sutton have become increasingly concerned about the rising number of small HMOs in Sutton given that the Council and residents do not have a say as a result of the national legislation. The Council agreed last year to carry out further work on the need for an Article 4 Direction for smaller Houses of Multiple Occupation in the borough. An Article 4 Direction gives councils back the right to determine local planning issues.

Councillor Jake Short, Chair of Sutton’s Housing, Economy & Business Committee, said:

“HMOs play an important role in Sutton and offer a flexible form of accommodation that is often cheaper than self-contained housing within the same area and helps meet the diverse needs of our residents. However, developers of HMOs must play by the same rules as others.

“Turning larger houses into small HMOs has not required planning permission since 2015, in a move approved by the previous government. This means the Council and residents do not have a say on whether it is appropriate in that part of the borough.

“This Article 4 Direction will ensure that any future proposals for HMOs will be scrutinised by the Council against the full range of relevant planning policies ensuring that decisions are consistent. Any HMOs permitted by the Council in future will be high-quality and will not negatively impact on the local area.”