Last updated on 17 November 2025
Residents have raised concerns with CDRA about Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Chessington, in particular a family home on Hook Road which has recently undergone a loft conversion and rear extension to become an HMO.
What is an HMO?
A house in multiple occupation is defined as a property where three or more individuals, not from the same household, reside and share facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom, and/or WC. This arrangement can apply to a flat, maisonette, or house, and the residents may be on either a single or multiple tenancy agreements. A household is defined as members of the same family. Eg a couple and a friend living in the same home would be seen as an HMO.
Regulations for HMOs and Kingston Council
Kingston Council is one of the least regulated councils in London when it comes to HMOs. HMOs are often associated with anti-social behaviour, loss of family housing, parking pressure and pushing prices up for renting and buying in the area.
A property with up to five unrelated occupiers is not required by the council to have a licence. A house with five or more unrelated occupiers sharing amenities is required to be licenced by the council.
CDRA questions the Council on HMOs
Regarding the conversion in Hook Road, CDRA asked Kingston Council about their responsibility for this type of development and, now it is a business as opposed to a family home, how they will be monitoring it in future. One of our local councillors responded informing us of the following:
- There are 420 licensed HMOs in the borough. In the last two years the council has received 53 complaints relating to noise and rubbish. Ten of these were for one property. The number of complaints has reduced from previous years – a lot depends on the particular landlord.
- The council reviews the properties at each licence renewal. This is usually every five years, sooner if complaints are received.
- The council has no oversight to whom the landlord rents the rooms to, neither do they have the power to evict occupants.
- If the council receives complaints that the landlord does not act on complaints and that the complaints continue, the landlord’s licence is at risk.
- Most HMOs are lived in by young professionals who cannot afford to rent a flat.
Kingston Council pursues Article 4 Direction on HMOs
CDRA’s executive committee member, Sue Towner, raised the residents’ concerns of the increasing number of HMOs at the South of the Borough Neighbourhood Meeting on 5th November 2025. The Leader of the Council and ward councillor for Chessington South and Malden Rushett, Andreas Kirsch, told the meeting: “We are aware other boroughs are introducing Article 4, so we are looking at introducing it. It will take some time, but that is what we are aiming to do.”
An Article 4 Direction under the Town and Country Planning Order 2015 is a planning tool that allows local councils to limit what changes can be made to buildings without planning permission. Typically, homeowners and landlords have what is called “permitted development rights”. These let them make certain alterations, like small extensions, loft conversions, or turning a house into a small HMO, without needing formal approval.
When an Article 4 Direction for HMOs is in place, developers and homeowners wishing to create an HMO would have to apply for planning permission, regardless of the size of the HMO. This would give the council more control and keep a check on the numbers of family homes that could be lost to conversion to HMOs.
If left unregulated, developers could increasingly convert family homes into HMOs to maximise profits, with little regard for the impact on long-term residents or the wider community.
Q&M re HMOs at SoB Neighbourhood Committee on 5th November 2025