Durham County Council: Article 4 Direction for HMOs

What is the Durham Article 4 direction?

Durham County Council has made an Article 4 direction for houses in multiple occupation that is taking effect on 17 August 2026. Once in force, the Countywide direction will require planning permission for all conversions from Class C3 (dwellinghouse) to Class C4 (small HMO with 3-6 unrelated occupants).

Areas covered

Whole county

What this means for HMO investors

Because the Article 4 direction is borough/city-wide, every residential property in Durham's area is affected. Investors planning to acquire and convert family homes into HMOs in this area should budget time and cost for a full planning application, even for properties that would otherwise qualify as small HMOs under permitted development.

If you're considering acquiring or converting a property in Durham, factor planning permission into your due-diligence timeline and budget. Refused applications can scupper a deal, and unauthorised conversions risk enforcement action and lender complications.