Consultation on Houses in Multiple Occupation rule

A consultation will be held over proposed changes to rules for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in part of Surrey.

Planning permission is already needed from Spelthorne Borough Council (SBC) to convert a property into an HMO for seven or more people.

Under the change, the authority would also require planning permission for smaller HMOs of up to six people.

A report said the council it was looking at making the change "to address concerns from both residents and elected members" about housing standards.

Council papers also said the aim was to make sure that "the overall quality" of HMOs in the borough was improved and that potential adverse impacts on neighbouring properties and communities were "recognised and mitigated where possible".

The new rule was introduced in Staines, Ashford North and Stanwell South, and Stanwell North wards in August and is due to be extended to the whole borough on 13 March.

At a meeting on Thursday, councillors agreed that a four-week consultation should be carried out from February.

SBC leader Joanne Sexton said: "I want to make it very, very clear, this group administration's number one priority is getting HMOs right and we are going to get them right."

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