Oldham council is the latest to be gunning for landlords with the prospect of planning controls over HMOs. 

It’s proposing to bring in a borough-wide Article 4 Direction, which would mean that converting a normal house (Use Class C3) into a small House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) with up to six residents (Use Class C4) would need planning permission.

If the idea is agreed, the Article 4 Direction will come into effect on January 1 or later and from then on, these types of conversions will no longer happen automatically under permitted development rights. The council will be able to look at each application and decide whether it is right for the area.

A spokesperson says: “This Article 4 Direction will be an important planning tool for the council. It will allow us to think carefully about how a proposed HMO could affect the local area and community before granting permission. This way, we can help make sure new HMOs are good quality and in the right places.”

A consultation is open until the end of November 16.