Need to request planning permission for a house change of use - can it be DIY'd?

NibblyPig

I am moving out of my house and want to rent it out, but I live in a location with an article 4 that requires planning permission to change the house from C3 to C4.

I was quoted £840 by a company to submit this on my behalf. Is this something that I should definitely get an expert to do, or is it possible to do it myself?

The main problem with doing it myself is finding exactly what I am supposed to submit, there isn't any guidance I can find.

user1977

Looking on the planning portal for similar applications should give you a reasonable idea?

NibblyPig

user1977 said:

Looking on the planning portal for similar applications should give you a reasonable idea?

Thanks I had absolutely no idea I could do that, hopefully I can find something similar!

Ratkin007

Are you looking to rent the property out as a HMO (house in multiple occupation) or to a family. My understanding is that article 4 is to prevent family accommodation from becoming HMOs and that C4 is the category for HMO.  As the property has been in use as a family home, it is unlikely to get planning permission for C4 use, however if letting to a family, C4 use would not be required.  You could always contact planning and have a conversation with them.  Also check the licensing status of your local authority if not already done.  i.e it may be that you need a selective license 

Section62

Ratkin007 said:

Are you looking to rent the property out as a HMO (house in multiple occupation) or to a family. My understanding is that article 4 is to prevent family accommodation from becoming HMOs and that C4 is the category for HMO.  As the property has been in use as a family home, it is unlikely to get planning permission for C4 use, however if letting to a family, C4 use would not be required.  You could always contact planning and have a conversation with them.  Also check the licensing status of your local authority if not already done.  i.e it may be that you need a selective license 

Planning authorities can use an Article 4 direction for pretty much anything (within reason) they want.  It could be to stop houses being rented out in any circumstances (without consent).  There was an article on the BBC website this morning how Gwynedd have adopted this approach for second homes and holiday lets. (with an interesting effect on house prices)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg9y544wx3o

NibblyPig

Ratkin007 said:

Are you looking to rent the property out as a HMO (house in multiple occupation) or to a family. My understanding is that article 4 is to prevent family accommodation from becoming HMOs and that C4 is the category for HMO.  As the property has been in use as a family home, it is unlikely to get planning permission for C4 use, however if letting to a family, C4 use would not be required.  You could always contact planning and have a conversation with them.  Also check the licensing status of your local authority if not already done.  i.e it may be that you need a selective license 

HMO, you're correct, but the regulation is more to stop too many HMOs and to abide by other rules like sandwich laws. It *appears* that provided you're not violating the sandwich regulations and your HMO doesn't cause more than 10% of houses within a certain radius to be HMOs, and your house is sufficient in size etc. for a HMO then it should in theory be possible to get permission. In my case, the house used to be a HMO, and was built specifically for it, and is completely unsuitable for a family because of its shape, having a lot of stairs and rooms on different levels.

I'm hoping I can put in an application by myself for it based on looking at similar ones, although their site is quite difficult to search. I have seen a few rejections (insufficient cycle storage, insufficient bin storage, sandwiching, and too many HMOs in an area), but I hope that I would be able to get through those (I'm part of a development with a bin store and dedicated cycle store). However there may be other factors I'm not aware of.

anselld

NibblyPig said:

Ratkin007 said:

Are you looking to rent the property out as a HMO (house in multiple occupation) or to a family. My understanding is that article 4 is to prevent family accommodation from becoming HMOs and that C4 is the category for HMO.  As the property has been in use as a family home, it is unlikely to get planning permission for C4 use, however if letting to a family, C4 use would not be required.  You could always contact planning and have a conversation with them.  Also check the licensing status of your local authority if not already done.  i.e it may be that you need a selective license 

HMO, you're correct, but the regulation is more to stop too many HMOs and to abide by other rules like sandwich laws. It *appears* that provided you're not violating the sandwich regulations and your HMO doesn't cause more than 10% of houses within a certain radius to be HMOs, and your house is sufficient in size etc. for a HMO then it should in theory be possible to get permission. In my case, the house used to be a HMO, and was built specifically for it, and is completely unsuitable for a family because of its shape, having a lot of stairs and rooms on different levels.

I'm hoping I can put in an application by myself for it based on looking at similar ones, although their site is quite difficult to search. I have seen a few rejections (insufficient cycle storage, insufficient bin storage, sandwiching, and too many HMOs in an area), but I hope that I would be able to get through those (I'm part of a development with a bin store and dedicated cycle store). However there may be other factors I'm not aware of.

In my area they have the 10% rule an the sandwiching rule, but they also have quite strict rules on room sizes including the communal areas.  These are listed in a suplementary planning document on the Council Website called HMO Amenity Standards or something like that.  To be honest the planners, or rather the local Councilors, are looking for any excuse to reject an application because they hate HMOs  (despite failing to provision any low cost housing themselves).

If you pass planning there is also a raft of Licensing regulations to pass  (and more fees) if it is either 5 persons or if it falls into selective or additional licensing scheme.  Fire doors, strips and seals, hardwired interlinked smoke alarms in almost every room, CO alarms, thumbturn exit locks, etc, etc.

Also check if you are in "a Development" with communal facilities there may be Covenants, Lease restrictions, etc which may prevent certain uses including HMO.  Expect objection from the neighbours also.

Having said all of that is is not rocket science and if you are going down that route you need to do all the research anyway so don't spend money getting someonce else to do it.  (and btw if you do spend the third party money there is still no guarantee of success and you wont get the fee back if the application fails).

NibblyPig

Yep, have checked, bedrooms must be 6.51m2 and the smallest in the house is approx 8.5m2

I believe everything to be in order, it's more the format of the planning permission that is quite tricky but using other examples, should be possible to do alone I think.

Checked the covenants also, can't see anything forbidding HMO which makes sense, given that the property started as one, maintained essentially by the builders until it was sold.

Appreciate it!