A council in Surrey is getting reading to restrict landlords seeking to convert houses into small HMOs next year.
Spelthorne Borough Council's corporate policy and resources committee agreed to an Article 4 Direction across the Staines, Stanwell North, and Ashford North & Stanwell South wards, to take effect on 29th August 2025.
Chair of the corporate policy and resources committee, councillor Joanne Sexton (pictured), says these three wards have had the highest number of complaints against HMOs.
“This will give the local planning authority powers to consider the impacts of small HMOs in these three wards,” she adds. “The remaining wards in the borough are being monitored and the committee will also be considering these.”
However, a council report in April reveals that the council has only recently changed its mind. Then it said the three wards had had six or seven complaints received by planning enforcement over the past four years where planning permission was not required and hence there were no planning controls.
“This equates to an average of 1.5-1.75 complaints per year for each ward,” according to the report. “It is considered that given the low number of complaints received on HMOs which were permitted development, the evidence available to the council is insufficient at this stage to justify the introduction of an Article 4 Direction.”
It adds: “The introduction of an Article 4 Direction could indirectly result in a reduction in the supply of HMOs which in turn might impact on the groups who typically occupy this type of low-cost accommodation.”
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