Article 4 by council › Surrey Heath
HMO Article 4 in Surrey Heath
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Surrey Heath? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Surrey Heath had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Surrey Heath, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
The council's HMO information sheet covers licensing and standards and does not mention an Article 4 direction; the council's 2019 employment land paper states the borough has no Article 4 direction. The HMO web page itself returned 403 to the fetch tool. The Surrey HMO Article 4 news found in searches relates to Spelthorne, not Surrey Heath.
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: Surrey Heath council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.