Article 4 by council › Herefordshire
HMO Article 4 in Herefordshire
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Herefordshire? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Herefordshire had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Herefordshire, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council HMO and licensing page covers Housing Act 2004 licensing only, no mention of an Article 4 direction. A 2018 student accommodation study on the councillors' site raised the possibility of an Article 4 in Hereford but no proposal or direction was found.
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: Herefordshire council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.