Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced comprehensive regulatory measures targeting houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), introducing ward-level caps and planning restrictions in response to resident concerns about concentrations of shared housing.
The council, controlled by Reform UK, has implemented an Article 4 Direction removing permitted development rights for converting family homes into HMOs. Previously, such conversions did not require planning permission.
Ward-level caps proposed
Under the proposals, HMO numbers will be capped at varying levels across the city’s wards: 4% of residential properties in wards with very high existing HMO concentrations, 2.5% in high-concentration areas, and 1.5% in all other wards.
Additional restrictions prevent two HMOs being located side-by-side with a single frontage, and prohibit homes being ‘sandwiched’ between two HMOs. The measures follow broader challenges facing the rental sector, including regulatory pressures.
The council is also consulting on a city-wide additional licensing scheme that would bring all smaller HMOs under regulation. The proposals are scheduled for consideration by the city’s cabinet next week.
Councillor Duncan Walker stated: “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.”
He added: “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.”
Political trend emerges
The announcement follows similar actions by other Reform-controlled councils, including Newcastle earlier this year. Reform MP for Ashfield Lee Anderson recently told Parliament he wanted to see landlords and managers held accountable for managing HMO properties and disruptive tenant behaviour.
The measures represent one of the most restrictive HMO regulatory frameworks implemented by a UK local authority, though the council maintains it is seeking to balance housing need with neighbourhood impact. The restrictions could affect investment strategies for landlords operating in the city’s rental market, particularly those focused on shared accommodation.
