HMO Article 4 checker
HMO Article 4 checker for London
Article 4 means a small HMO needs planning permission. Enter a London address to see if it applies, and which licence the council asks for.
HMO Article 4 checker
Is your HMO in an Article 4 area?
Article 4 means a small HMO needs planning permission. Enter a London address to see if it applies, and which licence the council asks for.
Select a borough to see its rules.
23 of 33 London councils need planning permission for small HMOs, in all or part of the borough.
Article 4 in all 33 London councils
Across the whole borough (15)
- Barking and Dagenhamsince 2012
- Barnetsince 2016
- Bexleysince 2017
- Bromleysince 2022
- Croydonsince 2020
- Enfieldsince 2013
- Greenwichsince 2018
- Harrowsince 2026
- Hillingdonsince 2025
- Hounslowsince 2023
- Lewishamsince 2024
- Mertonsince 2026
- Redbridgesince 2019
- Suttonsince 2025
- Waltham Forestsince 2014
In part of the borough (8)
- BrentMost of the borough
- EalingAll except the Old Oak area
- Haringey14 wards in the east
- HaveringAll but some detached houses. Whole borough from 7 September 2027, if confirmed
- LambethTwo Streatham wards
- NewhamAll except Stratford City
- SouthwarkTwo streets, in SE16 and SE17
- Tower HamletsAll except by the River Lea
Article 4 on the way (2)
- Hammersmith and FulhamAgreed; not before 2027
- Kingston upon ThamesProposed; decision 18 November 2026
No Article 4 direction (8)
The rules in every London borough
- A small HMO is a home shared by 3 to 6 people from more than one household.
- An Article 4 direction for HMOs removes the right to turn a house or flat into a small HMO without planning permission.
- A larger HMO (7 or more people) always needs planning permission.
- Splitting a house into flats needs planning permission in every London borough.
- An HMO of 5 or more people from more than one household needs a mandatory licence in every borough.
Guidance only: we confirm every address before you rely on it. Source: Office for National Statistics, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026.
Article 4 for small HMOs in every London council
23 of 33 London councils need planning permission for small HMOs, in all or part of the borough. Updated 10 November 2026.
| Council | Article 4 for small HMOs | In force since | Licence for an HMO of 3 or 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | Yes, the whole borough | 14 May 2012 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Barnet | Yes, the whole borough | 29 May 2016 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Bexley | Yes, the whole borough | 24 September 2017 | No licence needed |
| Brent | In part of the borough: Most of Brent. Not covered: the Old Oak and Park Royal area, seven of Brent’s eight growth areas (Wembley and South Kilburn among them) and the site allocations in the Church End growth area. | 1 November 2022 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Bromley | Yes, the whole borough | 1 September 2022 (Biggin Hill and Darwin wards from September 2021) | No licence needed |
| Camden | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| City of London | No | None | No licence needed |
| Croydon | Yes, the whole borough | 28 January 2020 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Ealing | In part of the borough: All of Ealing except the Old Oak and Park Royal area, where the development corporation is the planning authority. | 14 November 2025 (Perivale ward from 30 October 2024) | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Enfield | Yes, the whole borough | 23 October 2013 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Greenwich | Yes, the whole borough | 27 September 2018 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Hackney | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | No. One is on the way: agreed by the council, not before 2027 | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Haringey | In part of the borough: 14 wards in the east of the borough: Bounds Green, Bruce Castle, Harringay, Hermitage and Gardens, Noel Park, Northumberland Park, St Ann’s, Seven Sisters, South Tottenham, Tottenham Central, Tottenham Hale, West Green, White Hart Lane and Woodside. | 30 November 2013 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Harrow | Yes, the whole borough | 12 June 2026 (confirmed 14 October 2026) | No licence needed until 6 January 2027, when a new additional licensing scheme starts |
| Havering | In part of the borough: Every flat, terraced and semi-detached house in the borough. Detached houses too, but only in Brooklands, Romford Town, Gooshays and Heaton wards (on their 2015 boundaries). | 13 July 2016 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Hillingdon | Yes, the whole borough | 11 December 2025 (confirmed February 2026; before that, Brunel and Uxbridge South wards only) | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Hounslow | Yes, the whole borough | 4 September 2023 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Islington | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Kensington and Chelsea | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Kingston upon Thames | No. One is on the way: proposed for the whole borough, decision on 18 November 2026 | None | No licence needed |
| Lambeth | In part of the borough: Two wards: Streatham Common and Vale, and Streatham St Leonard’s. | 11 August 2025 | Additional licence, across the borough, until 8 December 2026 |
| Lewisham | Yes, the whole borough | 19 January 2024 (southern wards from 7 March 2020) | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Merton | Yes, the whole borough | 24 March 2026 for the last 13 wards, confirmed 16 September 2026 (7 eastern wards since 17 November 2022) | Additional licence in 7 of 20 wards |
| Newham | In part of the borough: All of Newham except Stratford City and the Olympic Park (the area the London Legacy Development Corporation covered in 2013). | 31 July 2013 | Additional licence in every ward except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park |
| Redbridge | Yes, the whole borough | 6 December 2019 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Richmond upon Thames | No | None | No licence needed |
| Southwark | In part of the borough: Two streets: Henshaw Street, SE17 and Bywater Place, SE16. | Henshaw Street 17 October 2014; Bywater Place 27 October 2016 (confirmed 11 April 2017) | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Sutton | Yes, the whole borough | 22 February 2025 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Tower Hamlets | In part of the borough: All of Tower Hamlets except the strip by the River Lea from Fish Island to Bromley-by-Bow (the former London Legacy Development Corporation area). | 1 January 2021 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Waltham Forest | Yes, the whole borough | 16 September 2014 | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Wandsworth | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
| Westminster | No | None | Additional licence, across the borough |
An HMO of 5 or more people from more than one household needs a mandatory licence in every borough. A larger HMO (7 or more people) always needs planning permission. Splitting a house into flats needs planning permission in every London borough.
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FAQs
Article 4 questions.
What is an Article 4 direction?
A council order that removes a permitted development right in its area. For HMOs, it removes the right to turn a house or flat into a small HMO, shared by 3 to 6 people from more than one household, without planning permission.
Which London boroughs have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?
15 councils have one across the whole borough and 8 have one in part of the borough. 10 have none, and 2 of those have one on the way. The table above lists every council and where each direction applies.
Does an Article 4 direction stop me opening an HMO?
No. It means you need planning permission first, and the council decides the application against its policies. Where there is no direction, a small HMO usually needs no planning permission, and a Lawful Development Certificate can confirm that before you start.
Do I still need a licence?
Usually, yes. Licensing is separate from planning. An HMO of 5 or more people needs a mandatory licence in every borough, and most London councils also license HMOs of 3 or 4 people. The table shows each council’s scheme.
How often do you check?
Every month, on each council’s own website, and whenever a council announces a change. Every answer shows the date it was last updated, with a link to the council’s own page.