Kingston Council to Debate Tighter HMO Rules

18 October 2025

Kingston Council is set to debate stricter regulations on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) following concerns about their impact on the borough.

The motion notes that the expansion of HMOs is eroding community cohesion, driving up antisocial behaviour complaints, intensifying parking and waste problems, and placing significant pressure on local services. The motion also highlights that many smaller HMOs can be created without planning permission under national permitted development rules, leaving communities powerless to prevent the over-concentration of HMOs in their area.

At a meeting on Tuesday 14 October 2025, Councillor Jamal Chohan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development, seconded by Councillor Yvonne Tracey, Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities, proposed a motion to address the increase of HMOs in Kingston. The motion was submitted for referral to the Place Committee.

The council was asked to agree that residents have a right to live in safe, stable, and balanced communities, and that it is the Council's duty to act swiftly and decisively to stop the further erosion of the borough's residential areas.

The motion proposes several measures, including:

Instructing officers to begin immediate work on implementing an Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights for the conversion of family homes into HMOs across the borough, and to bring a report on the fastest possible timetable to the relevant committee.
Introducing strict saturation policies and thresholds in planning policy, including maximum density limits and buffer zones to prevent clustering of HMOs on individual streets.
Strengthening licensing and enforcement by imposing tougher licence conditions on landlords, increasing inspections and resourcing enforcement teams to ensure compliance, and pursuing maximum penalties against rogue landlords.
Ensuring full public consultation with residents on these measures.
Writing to the Secretary of State demanding that government urgently reform national planning laws so that all HMO conversions require full planning consent and are subject to local democratic control.

The full details of the motion can be found in the Public Reports Pack for the 14 October 2025 council meeting.

Councils Involved

Kingston upon Thames

Meetings Involved

the Council of Kingston upon Thames Council on 14 October 2025

People Involved

Afy Afilaka Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Sue Ansari Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Rowena Bass Leader of the Minority Opposition Group Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor Mark Beynon Chair of Planning Committee Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Andrew Bolton Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Jamal Chohan Deputy Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development Kingston Independent Residents Group Tudor Ward

Councillor Emily Davey Portfolio Holder for Housing & Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Jackie Davies Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Lorraine Dunstone Chair - South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Hook and Chessington North Ward

Councillor Mark Durrant Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Ian George Conservative Coombe Hill Ward

Councillor James Giles Leader of the Opposition; Opposition Spokesperson for Housing, Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling, Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Mariana Goncalves Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Liz Green Chair of the Health Overview Panel Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Helen Grocott Liberal Democrat King George's and Sunray Ward

Councillor Noel Hadjimichael Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Patrick Hall Chair of Pension Fund Panel Liberal Democrat Tudor Ward

Councillor Sabah Hamed Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Equalities and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Roger Hayes Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Lesley Heap Chair - New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Lynn Henderson Chair - Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Peter Herlinger Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

Councillor Alison Holt Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Economic Development & Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Amir Ali Khan Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Councillor Robert Dongsung Kim Liberal Democrat New Malden Village Ward

Councillor Andreas Kirsch Leader of the Council & Portfolio Holder for Heritage and Culture and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Griseldis Kirsch Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Kamala Kugan Opposition Spokesperson for Corporate and Resources Kingston Independent Residents Group Coombe Vale Ward

Councillor Ian Manders Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Planning Policy & Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Alexandra Ward

James Manthel Liberal Democrat Canbury Gardens Ward

Councillor Mike Massimi Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Sharukh Mirza Liberal Democrat Chessington South and Malden Rushett Ward

Councillor Nicola Nardelli Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Transport, Waste and Recycling and Co-Chair - Place Committee Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Anne Owen Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Elizabeth Park Liberal Democrat Old Malden Ward

Councillor Tom Reeve Chair - Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Surbiton Hill Ward

Farshid Sadr-Hashemi Liberal Democrat Kingston Gate Ward

Councillor Anita Schaper Portfolio Holder for Communities, Commissioning and Customer Contact and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Berrylands Ward

Councillor Andrew Sillett Chair - Licensing Committee Liberal Democrat Coombe Vale Ward

Susan Skipwith Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

John Sweeney Liberal Democrat Kingston Town Ward

Councillor Thay Thayalan Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Richard Thorpe Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Governance and Co-Chair - Corporate and Resources Committee Liberal Democrat Motspur Park and Old Malden East Ward

Councillor Yvonne Tracey Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities Kingston Independent Residents Group Green Lane and St James Ward

Councillor Olly Wehring Chair - Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee Liberal Democrat Norbiton Ward

Diane White Portfolio Holder for Children's Services (including Education) and Co-Chair - People Committee Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Councillor Andrew Wooldridge Liberal Democrat Tolworth Ward

Councillor Yogan Yoganathan Liberal Democrat St. Mark's and Seething Wells Ward

Topics

Kingston Council Houses in Multiple Occupation Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Kingston Council) Opposition Spokesperson for Leisure and Economic Development (Kingston Council) Opposition Spokesperson for Social Care (including Education), Public Health and Equalities (Kingston Council) Article 4 Directions Permitted development rights Secretary of State