Describe the actual proposal
For planning, a small C4 HMO accommodates three to six people within the relevant definition. A larger HMO is outside that class and is described as sui generis. Do not submit a seven-person scheme as though the national C3-to-C4 permitted-development route authorises it. [1]
Set out the maximum intended residents and bedrooms, the shared facilities and the way the building will operate. For an existing HMO, establish the lawful use and any occupancy condition before proposing an increase. Materiality and the wording of existing permissions matter, not simply the use of “HMO” in an estate-agent description. [1]
Check local policy before buying or redesigning
Borough policies can address concentration, access to services, accommodation quality and management. Brent's policy BH7, for example, includes access to public transport and amenities, appropriate communal provision, management arrangements and a test concerning concentrations of HMOs. These are local policy considerations, not a single national distance or concentration rule. [2]
Identify which criteria the application must demonstrate and what evidence is available. A neighbouring HMO may have a different planning history, so it should not be treated as proof that another will be acceptable.
Design for the permitted occupancy
Prepare room measurements and layouts for the intended number of residents. The minimum sleeping-room conditions for licensed HMOs do not settle the adequacy of the kitchen, bathrooms, living space or the overall arrangement. Councils can apply higher local standards where appropriate. [3] [4]
For feasibility, test whether a practical layout remains after providing shared facilities and circulation. Do not base the scheme only on how many nominally compliant bedrooms can be drawn inside the existing walls. [4]
Address management and neighbour effects
Explain who will manage the property and how the shared facilities will be maintained. Where required by policy, describe the arrangements intended to avoid unacceptable effects on neighbouring occupiers. Brent expressly includes management arrangements in its shared-housing policy. [2]
Coordinate the proposed use with refuse storage, access and the spaces used communally. The plans and management description should tell the same story: a room shown as communal space should not be included in the advertised bedroom count. [2] [4]
Keep the other approvals separate
Licensing checks the scheme against its own statutory and local requirements. Qualifying HMOs with at least five occupants in two or more households normally fall within mandatory licensing, subject to the relevant building and flat exceptions. A planning approval is not a licence, and a licence is not planning approval. [3]
Physical conversion work also needs a building-regulations assessment. Obtain a coordinated fire-safety design rather than treating individual alarms or doors as a complete solution, and check the applicable control route before starting. [5] [4]
During any redesign, keep the planning occupancy, licensing application and construction drawings aligned. A later decision to add bedrooms should trigger a fresh review rather than an assumption that the original approvals cover it. [3] [1]