Council unveils plan to limit HMO numbers

12:00 AM, 20th August 2026, 14 hours ago

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A council has launched a major crackdown on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has proposed a cap on the total number of HMOs within each ward and plans to require planning permission for new conversions.

The news comes as landlords in Norwich could face a new licensing regime covering smaller HMOs.

Require planning permission

Under the plans, a city-wide Article 4 Direction would remove permitted development rights that currently allow family homes to be converted into HMOs without the need for a planning application. Any future conversion would require planning permission.

The new rules would prevent clusters of HMOs appearing across the city. New HMOs would not be allowed where they would mean HMOs make up more than 5% of all residential properties within a 50-metre radius.

There would also be a cap on the total number of HMOs within each ward.

This would be set at 4% of residential properties for wards where there are already a very high number of HMOs, 2.5% for wards where there are a high number, and 1.5% for all other wards.

Strike a balance

Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for safe and resilient communities and housing at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said the proposed plans aim to strike a balance.

He said: “Houses of multiple occupation have a place in terms of meeting the significant housing needs within the city, they can be an important step on the ladder for people looking for a home, but they need to be of high quality and proportionate.

“For this reason, they need to be strictly controlled to ensure they do not have a disproportionate impact on neighbourhoods and are of a sufficiently high standard. So, we are proposing to take the toughest action we can to ensure this.

“The evidence in Stoke-on-Trent shows HMOs are concentrated in a number of urban neighbourhoods, and that the impact, in terms of noise, waste, and demand on parking are most acute where concentrations are highest.

“The measures being proposed are a proportionate response. They would control the spread of HMOs while improving standards and allowing for effective enforcement.”

Additional licensing scheme

The council has also proposed an additional licensing scheme for HMOs across the city subject to consultation.

Stoke-on-Trent council claim the licensing scheme would bring smaller HMOs into a formal regulatory framework and allow the council to set and enforce standards.