Tighter Rules for HMOs Come into Effect in Ealing Borough

Landlords must now get planning permission to convert family homes

New controls applied across the borough following trial in Ealing. Picture: Ealing Council

November 17, 2025

Ealing Council has tightened planning controls so that landlords must now apply for planning permission before converting family homes into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), regardless of size. The change removes the previous permitted development route for smaller HMOs and brings all new conversions under formal planning scrutiny so the council can assess their suitability and neighbourhood impact. The move follows a trial in Perivale and a period of mounting complaints about noise, waste and overcrowding linked to poorly managed rented properties.

The council says the new approach is part of a wider effort to improve standards in the private rented sector. All HMOs must be licensed and therefore meet legally binding management standards; the authority reports inspecting almost 200 properties and issuing around 800 new licences each month. Council leader Peter Mason framed the change as a response to growing complaints over three years and argued most landlords are responsible, but a minority of poor practice has made intervention necessary.

Property industry reaction has been mixed. Some landlords and letting agents accept the need for higher standards and say better-regulated HMOs can protect neighbours and legitimate businesses. Others in the sector warn that borough-wide Article 4 controls — which remove permitted development rights and require planning applications for changes of use — add complexity and cost for small landlords, particularly those who depend on HMO lettings to make marginal investments viable. Industry representatives point to the administrative burden of additional planning applications, longer lead times for conversions and the potential for greater expense that could deter investment in older properties needing renovation.

Some estate agents and smaller landlords say the tightened rules risk reducing the supply of lower-cost, flexible housing that many students and young professionals rely on. They argue that if conversions become harder or more expensive, some landlords may withdraw from the market or repurpose properties for owner-occupation, reducing the pool of rented rooms and increasing pressure on prices for single-person households. At the same time, tenant and community groups welcome the extra controls, arguing proper planning oversight and robust licensing are necessary to prevent antisocial behaviour, protect neighbourhood amenity and safeguard tenants’ safety and welfare.

Since the trial in Perivale began, the council says more than a quarter of HMO applications have been refused or withdrawn by landlords, suggesting disputes over suitable conversions are already being tested by the new process. The council has also established dedicated enforcement officers focused on waste and other issues connected with HMOs and rented properties; their investigations have led to warnings and referrals to the unlicensed properties team.

Nationally, the use of Article 4 directions to manage the spread of HMOs has become more common in boroughs seeking to protect family housing and local character while addressing concerns about concentrations of rented rooms.

For residents, the immediate effects are likely to be seen in how new HMO proposals are handled: conversions will now be subject to formal planning assessment, potentially slowing some developments but giving communities and planners more scope to judge impacts on parking, waste management, fire safety, room sizes and overall amenity. For landlords, the changes increase the expectation of compliance — both through planning scrutiny and continued licensing — and heighten the importance of professional advice on conversion standards and licensing requirements.

Councillor Shital Manro, the council’s cabinet member for good growth and new homes, said, “The private rented sector plays a vital role in the local housing market, but we know there are improvements that can be made. By changing the planning permission process across the borough, we’re taking proactive steps to create safer, more harmonious neighbourhoods. These new controls will help us protect communities across the borough while preserving access to affordable housing.”