FAQ

In planning terms, an HMO is a dwelling (house or flat) that is occupied by a certain number of unrelated individuals who share one or more basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. They are commonly known as shared houses; is to rent by students, single person or families. Please note that certain properties are not classified as HMOs under national legislation, such as those managed by Registered Social Landlords. The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) classifies HMOs as:

• Small HMO – Use Class C4 – accommodating between 3 and 6 unrelated individuals, forming more than 1 household or;
• Large HMOs – Class Sui Generis – accommodating 7 or more unrelated individuals.

A change of use to an HMO (large or small house in multiple occupation) from other uses such as a shop or office, or vice versa, will require planning permission. Some houses in multiple occupations will require planning permission and/or an HMO property licence. This will depend on their size and the number of people that live there. HMOs are defined differently between housing and planning regulations, so you need to make sure you understand these differences.

Use the email address you booked with. We send a secure link the first time, then you can set a password and follow your application from the Portal.

Yes. Drawings, photos and title documents can all be uploaded from the Portal, and our team is notified as soon as they arrive.

Every stage of your application is shown in the Portal, from the first drawings to the council decision.

Call or email our team and we will get you back in. You can also reply to any email we have sent you.

Choose a time on the Speak to an Expert page, or call us on 0 330 818 3001. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to upload photos and any drawings before the call.

Nothing is lost. Reply to your confirmation email or call us and we will rebook you at the next available time at no extra cost. If we cannot reach you within 15 minutes of the start time, the slot is released.

It depends on the type of work, the size of your property and whether it is listed or in a conservation area. Many extensions and loft conversions are permitted development. Our pre-planning advice confirms the position in writing before you spend money on drawings.

Councils aim to decide householder applications within 8 weeks and major applications within 13 weeks of validation. Preparing drawings and reports usually takes two to four weeks before that.

You can amend the scheme and resubmit for free within 12 months, or appeal to the Planning Inspectorate within 12 weeks for householder decisions. We review the refusal notice with you and recommend the stronger route.

It is a formal confirmation from the council that your project is lawful without planning permission. It is not required, but it is useful when you sell the property or if a neighbour questions the work.

Often, yes. Planning permission controls the use of the building, while an HMO licence controls how it is managed and its safety standards. Large HMOs always need a licence; many councils also license small HMOs.

Councils can grant pavement licences for up to two years. The application involves a 14-day public consultation, and the council then has a further 14 days to decide.

Yes. We prepare the operating schedule and plans, serve copies on the responsible authorities and arrange the public notices for you.

Extensions, loft and garage conversions, new builds, flats, changes of use, HMOs and commercial schemes. You can browse approved examples on our Project Map.

Yes. Our heritage consultants prepare the heritage statements and listed building consent applications that these projects need.

We work with every local planning authority in England. Site visits are available across London and the Home Counties.

You can pay by card or bank transfer from the Portal. Larger projects are split into stages, so you only pay for each stage when it starts.

No. The council application fee is paid directly to the council through the Planning Portal. We tell you the exact fee before we submit.

You can cancel within 14 days of booking for a full refund, as long as work has not started. After that we refund any stage that has not begun.

Fill in the form on the Trade Partners page. We work with builders, architects and estate agents who share our standards, and we reply within five working days.

Yes. Approved partners receive a referral fee for every client who books a paid service, paid monthly.

With the client’s consent, partners get read-only access to the application in the Portal, so everyone sees the same status.