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 for a free, no obligation appraisal to ascertain if you have sufficient evidence to meet the threshold of acceptance, likely to be imposed by the Local Planning Authority.