Do HMOs need planning permission in Bromley?

Bromley has 108 active Article 4 directions in our records. Where an Article 4 direction applies, permitted development rights to convert a home (use class C3) to a small HMO (C4) can be removed, so a full planning application is required. Coverage varies — verify with the council before relying on this.

When does an HMO need a licence in Bromley?

Nationally, a property let to 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households and sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet must hold a mandatory HMO licence — this applies in every council in England, including Bromley. Some councils also run additional or selective licensing schemes covering smaller HMOs; check the current schemes with Bromley council.

What are the minimum room sizes for a licensed HMO?

A mandatory HMO licence enforces national minimum sleeping-room floor areas: 6.51 m² for one person aged over 10, 10.22 m² for two people over 10, and 4.64 m² for a child under 10. These are national statute and apply in Bromley.

Astor Place · Borough Intelligence

Bromley HMO & Article 4 planning

0 applications in the last 12 months · Nothing new since 28 July 2026 (57 days) — a record of that date, not current.

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Astor analyst's read

Bromley — 108 active Article 4 directions on record; HMO status unclear, verify with council.

Profile

Outer London suburban borough, predominantly lower-density residential and family stock with growing town centres.

Planning

108 Article 4 directions in our records, though none flagged HMO-specific in our metadata — confirm HMO restrictions directly with Bromley planning.

Deal angle

Heavy Article 4 footprint suggests regulatory friction; absence of HMO sub-flagging requires council verification before sizing bridging or HMO plays.

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HMO Requirements in Bromley

What it takes to run a House in Multiple Occupation in Bromley — whether you need planning permission, the licence the property must hold, and the statutory minimum room sizes. Verify current details with the council before committing.

Full guides: HMO licensing in Bromley ↗ · Article 4 directions ↗

01 · Planning permission

No HMO Article 4 in our records

No HMO Article 4 direction in our records for this borough. Where no direction applies, converting a home to a small HMO (C4, up to six occupants) is usually permitted development — but coverage can be incomplete, so verify with the council before relying on this.

See the full Article 4 picture below ↓

02 · Licence to operate

Mandatory HMO licence National

5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households

Any HMO occupied by five or more people making up two or more separate households (sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet) must hold a mandatory HMO licence. This applies in every council in England, regardless of the number of storeys.

No Additional or Selective licensing scheme in our records for Bromley. Many boroughs operate schemes that extend licensing to smaller HMOs or all rented homes, and these change on five-year cycles — check the council's current designation via the gov.uk licence finder ↗.

03 · Minimum room sizes

One person aged over 10	6.51 m²
Two people aged over 10	10.22 m²
One person aged under 10	4.64 m²
Any sleeping room	≥ 4.64 m²

Kitchen, bathroom & WC standards

Licensed HMOs must provide adequate, well-located cooking, washing and toilet facilities for the number of occupants, plus safe gas/electrics, working fire detection and proper waste storage. The exact ratios (occupants per bathroom, per WC, kitchen size) are set by each council in its own HMO amenity standards — confirm the figures with the borough before committing to a scheme.

Minimum room sizes and the mandatory-licensing threshold are national law (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018), sourced under the Open Government Licence v3 — they apply in every council. Licensing designations shown are those in our records; verify the current position and exact amenity standards with Bromley Council before relying on this. gov.uk: HMO licences ↗

Article 4 Directions in Bromley planning.data.gov.uk

Conservation area restrictions (6 designated areas)

Extensions, roof alterations, and window/door changes require planning permission within these areas.

specific conservation areas only — not borough-wide Relevant to: buyer, developer, lender

Change of Use / PDR (1)

Check the direction document to confirm the geographic extent.

Petts Wood Area of Special Residential Character - Non-Immediate Part 1 Class B and C since 2022

Industrial / Storage Use Changes

Certain changes between industrial and storage uses require planning permission.

Relevant to: developer

View direction document ↗

Conservation Area (5)

These 5 directions each apply to a specific designated area — not the whole borough. Check if your property falls within one.

Alexandra Cottages Conservation Area since 2004

Conservation Area — Alterations & Extensions