A West London council has become the latest in the city to crack down on the creation of HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupation).
Landlords in Ealing will now face stricter rules if they seek to convert a family home into a shared house rented out by room. Ealing Council says this will better manage HMOs and their quality.
At the moment, landlords only have to seek planning permission if they want to convert a home into a large HMO for more than six people. However, the new rules mean that landlords will have to seek permission regardless of size.
Additionally, HMOs will have to be licensed. This means that landlords will be subject to legally binding standards for the way they manage their properties and deal with their tenants.
At the moment there are around 4,000 licensed HMOs in the borough, but it is estimated there are at least 1,500 unlicensed. Cllr Gary Malcom, Leader of Ealing Liberal Democrats, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the council has been poor at managing the issue.
He said: “Liberal Democrats think the council has been pretty bad at dealing with dodgy landlords so they need to make a lot of changes to give a better deal to tenants.”
HMOs often plug the gap left by the shortage of affordable housing, allowing people to live in London on rent more affordable than an entire property. However, there has been widespread unrest among local residents in Ealing about the number of poorly managed HMOs.
This led to a trial scheme in Perivale, after residents raised concerns and held demonstrations urging council action in 2024. Since then, the council says more than a quarter of applications for HMOs have been rejected or withdrawn by the landlord.
The council says a recently appointed enforcement team focused on issues linked with HMOs has investigated over 120 properties. It says this has led to 12 warnings and five referrals to the council’s unlicensed properties team.
Cllr Peter Mason, Leader of Ealing Council, said: “This decision shows we are listening to our communities on this issue. Over the past three years we’ve seen a rise in complaints linked to HMOs, ranging from noise and waste to safety concerns.
“Most landlords are responsible, but with growing demand and a small minority of poor practices, it’s crucial we support better standards. We are doing that by inspecting almost 200 properties and issuing 800 new licences each month.”
A similar policy is being considered in Hillingdon, as the council aims to improve conditions for residents living alongside HMOs. The policy is currently under consultation, with a decision expected by Spring 2026.
Wandsworth Council has brought in a new licensing scheme that covers HMOs as well as general standards of rented accommodation in the borough. More than 110 inspections have taken place since its launch in July, resulting in over 40 formal notices served to landlords failing to meet safety standards.
Earlier this year an enforcement term at Croydon Council carried out their own crackdown, visiting 21 properties it suspected were illegal HMOs. Sutton introduced an Article 4 Direction this year, which withdrew permitted development rights for the conversion of family homes into smaller HMOs, meaning they now need planning permission.
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