Croydon Council’s planning enforcement teams have intensified their crackdown on unauthorised Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), sending a stark warning to rogue landlords across the borough.
In a coordinated day of action, enforcement officers from the Planning Enforcement Team and the HMO Team inspected 21 suspected unauthorised HMOs across Thornton Heath, Norbury, New Addington, Central Croydon, Addiscombe and Purley.
Multiple breaches of planning legislation and the Housing Act 2004 were uncovered, reinforcing concerns about substandard and illegal housing.
Croydon’s Executive Mayor, Jason Perry, has prioritised planning enforcement, emphasising that unauthorised developments threaten the integrity of the borough’s neighbourhoods.
BLIGHT ON COMMUNITIES
He says: “Unauthorised HMOs and developments can be a blight on our communities. Landlords must not operate HMOs without proper planning consent.”
The council’s enforcement efforts have yielded significant results. Since the peak of 2,089 live enforcement cases in October 2021, the number has been slashed to 711 as of January 2025 – a 66% reduction.
In total, 2,485 investigations have been completed, with many cases resolved swiftly through negotiation, while others have required enforcement notices and legal action.
ARTICLE 4 DIRECTION
The initiative aligns with Croydon’s Local Plan Review, which aims to ensure new developments enhance the borough’s character while maintaining high housing standards.
Since the adoption of an Article 4 direction in 2020, stricter planning controls have been in place to regulate HMOs, ensuring they are only permitted where appropriate.
Croydon Council wants landlords with unauthorised developments to come forward through its pre-application service to regularise their properties.
Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to report suspected unauthorised developments via the council’s online portal.
