Harrow Council has introduced an Article 4 direction with immediate effect from June 12, requiring all landlords to obtain planning permission before converting any home into a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO). The measure, approved by the Cabinet on June 11, reverses previous permitted development rights that allowed conversions for up to six tenants without planning consent.
New rules target smaller HMOs
Previously, only HMOs with more than six occupants required planning permission in Harrow. The new direction closes this loophole, bringing smaller HMOs housing three to six people under full planning control. The council stated it “has a problem” with these smaller conversions, which have contributed to resident complaints about noise, rubbish, antisocial behaviour, and pressure on family housing stock.
Deputy Leader of the Council and Chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr Marilyn Ashton, said: “This is not designed to stop people from converting dwellings into an HMO because we always have to judge planning on a case-by-case basis. Having said that, a certificate of lawfulness – as long as something is within the tolerances of permitted development – we have to give. It will help us, not refuse all of them because that's not what it's designed to do, but it gives us the tools we need to make sure we sift out the ones that are not acceptable.”
Harrow's HMO approval rate contrasts with Croydon
Data from Planning Lens's 'The HMO Squeeze' report reveals that between 2021 and 2025, Harrow decided on 126 HMO applications and refused 38, a refusal rate of 30 per cent. In comparison, Croydon, operating under the same national rules and housing pressures, refused 66 per cent of HMO applications. Both boroughs have similar overall planning approval rates (Harrow 79 per cent, Croydon 81 per cent), indicating the divergence is specific to HMOs.
Planning consultant Mark Broome of Planning Lens told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Harrow is almost the mirror image of Croydon. It refused under a third of the HMO applications it decided, where Croydon refused two thirds. Same national rules, same housing pressure, completely different instincts from the two councils. That variation between neighbouring London boroughs is the real story.”
Impact and enforcement
The Article 4 direction gives the council greater control over HMO numbers and addresses resident concerns. Cllr Ashton added: “This decision is about protecting family homes and preserving the character of our borough. It will help ensure shared housing is provided in the right places and to the right standards. Residents have often told us about some of their issues and concerns they have and we've listened. This is a significant step that puts residents first and gives us stronger powers to manage the impact of smaller HMOs.”
The changes came into effect immediately on June 12 after the proposal was signed off. All landlords in Harrow already require a licence to operate an HMO, and now planning permission is mandatory for any conversion, regardless of size.
