Hartlepool Borough Council Launches 12-Month Consultation on Article 4 to Tackle HMO Surge

The consultation set to take 12 months would see permitted development rights for small HMO's banned under whats known as Article 4 Directions to curb the upsurge of the Controversial developments which many claim is 'destabilising local communities'.

23rd July 2025

Many feel the upsurge of small HMO's being created without council approval is now 'out of control'...

A 12-month consultation on the implementation of Article 4 regulations to curb the upsurge of Houses of Multiple Occupation HMO's is set to begin in Hartlepool, following a decision by council officials to formally consider curbing the rapid expansion of the controversial developments across the town.

In an officer-delegated decision signed off earlier this month, Hartlepool Borough Council confirmed plans to explore the removal of landlords’ automatic rights to convert family homes into HMOs without going through the full council planning process. If approved, the Article 4 direction would then force developers to go through the councils official planning processes, giving the council more control over where and how these conversions take place.

The move comes in response to mounting pressure from local residents who say the unchecked spread of HMOs is fuelling crime, antisocial behaviour, as well as contributing to a growing housing crisis that's driving up rents and pushing local families out of the town due to rocketing rent prices....

Kieron Bostock, HBC's Assistant Director of Neighbourhood Services

A report seen by The Teesside & Durham Post indicates that senior council figures had previously considered enacting Article 4 regulations immediately. However, legal advice reportedly warned that doing so could leave the financially struggling council vulnerable to compensation claims from landlords—a risk the authority, declared in 2023 as having “no public confidence,” is unwilling to take.

Instead, officials are opting for a 12-month “non-immediate” consultation to ensure the changes are implemented lawfully and without exposing the council to litigation.

The decision, signed off by interim Director of Neighbourhood Services, Kieron Bostock, follows the recent departure of the councils Director of Neighbourhood Services Tony Hanson.

The document reads:

"As reported to Neighbourhood Services Committee for information (30/06/2025), HBC intend to undertake a 12-month (non-immediate) Article 4 consultation with a view to removing Permitted Development rights for the change of use of a dwellinghouse to a small HMO. The intention is to undertake the necessary consultation process to prevent any future compensation claims against the Council whilst also providing greater control over the conversion of dwellinghouses to HMOs."

The move received political backing, with Labour councillor Moss Boddy co-signing the decision—marking the Labour-backed Hartlepool Borough Council's commitment to exploring the regulation, albeit cautiously.

It should be brought in straight away some locals claim...

Some local residents argue the council isn't acting fast enough to tackle what they see as a housing emergency, where, In parts of the town, its claimed long-standing family homes have already been converted into cramped bedsits with minimal oversight, resulting in complaints of overpopulation, noise, littering, and the destabilising of local communities .

Many blame private landlords from outside the town looking to profit off the housing market at the expense of locals which in turn is pushing up rental prices, as demand for family homes in the private sector, especially in towns such as Hartlepool visibly outstrips supply...

The now Reform UK led Durham County Council has just approved similar measures when they went before a full council meeting.

The situation in Hartlepool mirrors that of nearby Durham, where this week the reform-led Durham County Council successfully approved its own Article 4 direction following strong public support. Durham Councils leadership argued that HMO saturation had begun to destabilise certain neighbourhoods—prompting them to act decisively.

Meanwhile, Hartlepool faces a similar crisis, where private sector rents in the town have soared by over 20% in just two years, pushing many residents out of the town entirely as affordable homes become increasingly scarce.

Whilst the Article 4 consultation process may offer a path forward, critics say the slow pace and cautious legal manoeuvring reflect a broader lack of urgency from Hartlepool’s leadership—one that could continue to leave residents exposed to a worsening housing situation for at least another year.

Leaving yet another year of misery for locals having to put up with the controversial properties in their local communities.