West London Borough Clamps Down on Shared Housing Conversions
Ealing has become the latest London borough to implement stricter controls on Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), significantly tightening rules for landlords seeking to convert family homes into shared rental properties.
The new regulations, approved by Ealing Council, will require landlords to obtain planning permission for all HMO conversions regardless of size, closing a previous loophole that only applied to larger properties housing more than six people.
Mandatory Licensing and Enforcement Action
Under the strengthened framework, all HMO landlords must now obtain licenses subject to legally binding standards covering property management and tenant relations. Council leader Cllr Peter Mason emphasised that the decision responds directly to community concerns, stating: "This decision shows we are listening to our communities on this issue."
The council reports that current enforcement efforts have already yielded significant results. A recently established HMO-focused enforcement team has investigated over 120 properties, issuing 12 formal warnings and making five referrals to the unlicensed properties team.
According to council estimates, while approximately 4,000 HMOs currently hold licenses in the borough, at least 1,500 properties operate without proper authorization.
Community Pressure Leads to Policy Change
The regulatory crackdown follows sustained pressure from local residents, particularly in the Perivale area where protests erupted in 2024 over social issues attributed to poorly managed shared housing.
The council initiated a trial scheme in Perivale after demonstrations, which has already seen more than a quarter of HMO applications either rejected or withdrawn by landlords.
Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Gary Malcom criticised the council's previous handling of the situation, telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "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."
Cllr Mason acknowledged the growing problem, noting: "Over the past three years we've seen a rise in complaints linked to HMOs, ranging from noise and waste to safety concerns." He added that while most landlords operate responsibly, increasing demand and a minority of poor practices necessitate stronger oversight.
London-Wide Trend in HMO Regulation
Ealing's move reflects a broader trend across London boroughs addressing similar concerns. Neighbouring Hillingdon is currently consulting on a comparable policy, with a decision expected by Spring 2026.
Wandsworth Council has implemented a new licensing scheme covering HMOs and general rental standards, conducting over 110 inspections since July and serving more than 40 formal notices to non-compliant landlords.
Earlier this year, Croydon Council's enforcement team visited 21 suspected illegal HMOs, while Sutton introduced an Article 4 Direction requiring planning permission for conversions that previously fell under permitted development rights.
The council leader highlighted ongoing enforcement efforts, revealing that inspectors are currently examining almost 200 properties monthly while issuing approximately 800 new licences each month to bring properties into compliance.
