BCP Council (Bournemouth): Pure Town Planning are pleased to secure a Certificate of Lawfulness for the change of use of a dwelling to a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). Under the planning legislation, the use of a HMO that was converted without the benefit of planning permission beforehand, can receive a Certificate if evidence is presented demonstrating that the use had occurred for 4 years prior to the Certificate application being submitted.
On the basis of the evidence presented, which included licence agreements between tenants and landlady, inventory of furniture, and deposit protection certification – the Local Planning Authority accepted that the use had occurred over the requisite timescale and therefore was now deemed lawful.
If you have a HMO which was converted without the benefit of planning permission, then you may be eligible to secure a Certificate of Lawfulness of an Existing Use or Development, to regularise the situation. If so, please contact one of our consultants to ascertain if you have sufficient evidence to meet the threshold of acceptance, likely to be imposed by the Local Planning Authority.