Tighter rules to follow sharp rise in shared homes

Planning controls are set to be tightened in two Surrey towns after a sharp rise in family homes being converted into shared houses.

A report to Tandridge councillors said an "overconcentration" of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) had seen issues with parking, poor housing, drainage, anti-social behaviour and the erosion of character in local areas.

The planning policy committee blamed an increase in people moving out of London and developers abusing rules in Whyteleafe and Caterham, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Members agreed to start a legal process called an Article 4 direction, to force landlords to seek consent before turning houses into homes for up to six people.

A resident told the meeting developers had "descended on Whyteleafe" since 2022, with the pace of conversions accelerating dramatically.

She accused some landlords of being "economical with the truth" to bypass rules.

"I'm a leaseholder with the council," she said. "If I want to move my kitchen tap to the other side of the room, I need permission."

She said three-bedroom homes were being extended into six-bedroom properties, with no scrutiny.

Chairing Thursday's committee, council leader Catherine Sayer said the increase had been driven partly by people moving out of London.

Councillor Martin Redman said Westway, in Caterham, saw nearly a five-fold increase in HMOs last year.

He said family homes were being lost at an alarming rate, but added HMOs provided essential accommodation for groups such as care workers and people facing life changes.

Council figures showed 13 HMOs were licensed in 2025, compared with four in 2024.

Across Tandridge, 53% of HMOs were in Whyteleafe and Caterham.

Complaints jumped from zero in 2018 to 31 in 2025, with most related to parking, noise, poor housing and anti-social behaviour.

A report said site visits uncovered sub-standard accommodation, drainage problems and poorly-maintained land.

A final decision will be made after consultation. Officers also agreed to keep Warlingham under review.

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