INDEPENDENT UK HOUSING GUIDE · UPDATED 2026-10-17
HMO planning permission is not the same as licensing
Planning records describe applications and decisions about land use. Licensing records concern regulated accommodation. They may refer to the same address, but they answer different questions.
Planning applications are not necessarily approvals
An application could be proposed, pending, withdrawn, refused, approved with conditions or later superseded. The decision and date matter. A listed application alone is not evidence that tenants moved into the property.
Article 4 directions and local rules
Some councils remove certain permitted development rights in designated areas. This can mean planning permission is required before a change of use that elsewhere may be permitted development. Check the map, exact address, use class and effective date of the particular direction.
Licences, advertisements and planning have different evidential weight
A current licence is evidence of a licence being granted, not proof of current occupation. Letting adverts may describe a past or intended rental and can contain duplicated or incorrect descriptions. A council enforcement notice has a different purpose from a planning application.
How to check a property responsibly
Verify addresses against the live council register and planning portal, retain the record date and reference, and avoid allegations based solely on a map marker or an advert. Do not attempt to identify or contact occupants through the directory.
Original official sources
Verify the relevant date and policy on the original pages: