Article 4 by council › Elmbridge
HMO Article 4 in Elmbridge
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Elmbridge? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Elmbridge had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Elmbridge, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's HMO page makes no mention of an Article 4 direction. The council's published Article 4 notice PDF concerns land off Pointers Road, Cobham (fences and temporary uses, made 17 September 2019) and search results show a similar 2024 direction at Woodlands Lane, Cobham. The planning Article 4 page returned 403 twice.
Check an exact postcode
A direction can cover part of a council, and the national dataset is incomplete. This asks the planning data service for the exact point and falls back to the council's own statement.
What an Article 4 direction means
HMO Article 4 directions remove the permitted-development right to convert a family home (C3) to a small HMO (C4, 3 to 6 people). Inside one, that conversion needs full planning permission. Councils may also run additional licensing (smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (all private rentals) in designated areas. Planning permission and licensing are separate: a licence does not grant planning permission, and permission does not remove the need for a licence.
Sources: Elmbridge council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.