Article 4 by council › Ealing
HMO Article 4 in Ealing
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Ealing? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
Yes. The whole of Ealing is covered by an HMO Article 4 direction.
whole borough: immediate direction for Perivale ward (in force 2024-10-30) plus non-immediate direction for the rest of the borough (in force 2025-11-14); excludes the OPDC administrative area inside the borough In force since 14 November 2025. Converting a family home (use class C3) to a small HMO of 3 to 6 people (class C4) needs full planning permission anywhere in Ealing.
Check an exact postcode
A direction can cover part of a council, and the national dataset is incomplete. This asks the planning data service for the exact point and falls back to the council's own statement.
Licensing in Ealing
Mandatory HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing facilities.
Additional licensing: yes, whole borough (from 1 April 2022).
Selective licensing: yes, named wards: East Acton, Southall Broadway, Southall Green (from 1 April 2022); Acton Central, Dormers Wells, Greenford Broadway, Greenford Green, Hanger Hill, Hobbayne, Lady Margaret, North Greenford, Northolt Mandeville, Northolt West End, Perivale, South Acton (from 3 January 2023) (from 1 April 2022).
What an Article 4 direction means
HMO Article 4 directions remove the permitted-development right to convert a family home (C3) to a small HMO (C4, 3 to 6 people). Inside one, that conversion needs full planning permission. Councils may also run additional licensing (smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (all private rentals) in designated areas. Planning permission and licensing are separate: a licence does not grant planning permission, and permission does not remove the need for a licence.
Sources: Ealing council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.