Harrow Council is set to implement tighter regulations on small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in a bid to address concerns over local amenity and community well-being.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Harrow Council met on Tuesday 09 June 2026 to discuss a proposed borough-wide Article 4 Direction. This direction would remove permitted development rights for the conversion of dwelling houses (Use Class C3) into small HMOs (Use Class C4), properties occupied by three to six unrelated individuals.

Map showing the density of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Harrow, with red indicating dense areas and blue indicating sparse areas.
Map showing the density of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Harrow.

Councillors heard that the move is justified by evidence suggesting a significant increase in HMOs across Harrow. Data from planning records, licensing, electoral registers, building control, and planning enforcement indicated a rise in HMOs and a correlation between high concentrations of these properties and issues such as anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping, and pressure on parking.

Bar chart showing the number of Building Control consents involving HMOs from 2016 to 2025, illustrating a significant increase in recent years.
Bar chart showing the number of Building Control consents involving HMOs.

Harrow's adopted Local Plan 2021-2041 includes Policy HO10, which sets criteria for assessing HMO applications. These criteria include internal floor area, accessibility, location, amenity impacts, and over-concentration. However, this policy currently only applies to larger HMOs (seven or more persons), as smaller HMOs (3-6 persons) could previously be created under permitted development rights without requiring planning permission. The proposed Article 4 Direction would allow these policies to be applied to small HMOs.

An Article 4 Direction would require planning permission for the change of use from a dwelling house to a small HMO, allowing the Council to apply Local Plan policies and better control their impacts.

Bar chart showing the number of ASB incidences from 2020 to 2025, with a significant decrease observed in the last two years.
Bar chart showing the number of ASB incidences.

The report recommended an 'immediate Article 4 Direction', citing the pressing threat to local amenity and the need to prevent further harm while the planning process is underway. If approved by Cabinet, the Article 4 Direction would be made, with notice published. Following a representation period, Cabinet would consider confirmation of the direction. The presentation also mentioned that if an immediate direction is made, it takes effect 'as soon as possible after the Cabinet considers and if they agree the direction'.

A pile of discarded coffee cups, plastic containers, and other waste, including branded items from Starbucks and Nathan's.
Pile of discarded waste.

Officers clarified that the direction would not ban HMOs but would bring them under planning control, allowing for assessment against Local Plan policies. An additional member of staff is being recruited to manage the anticipated increase in workload.

While an immediate Article 4 Direction carries the risk of compensation claims for the removal of permitted development rights, this right to claim compensation typically lasts for about 12 months. Experience in other boroughs that have introduced immediate directions suggests that compensation claims are infrequent, though specific cost figures for Harrow Council's potential financial exposure were not provided.

More information can be found in the Public reports pack for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. The Agenda frontsheet is also available.