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Brent, London

HMO conversion drawings in Brent

Brent has its own HMO planning guidance, and its dates and numbers are specific: planning permission is needed to change a dwelling to a C4 HMO across the borough from 1 November 2022. Our HMO conversion drawings in Brent start from £995 including VAT, prepared by MCIAT chartered architectural technologists, and we draw to each of the council's tests.

From £995 (VAT included)

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  • £2m PI insured
  • LABC Partnered
  • Fixed fees, VAT included

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We use it to check conservation areas and constraints.
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    Architectural model of a four-storey London stucco townhouse in its terrace, with a portico, area railings, sash windows, a cornice and chimney stacks
    The house as it stands: four storeys over a lower ground floor.Existing Proposed worksAn illustrative model, built for this page.

    How we work on hmo conversion drawings

    Seven steps from first call to approval.

    The same model cut through the middle: every floor, the stair, the chimney breasts, the new mansard, rear extension and basement in section
    Section through the model: every floor on one datum.

    1. Enquiry and constraints check

      We check the property against conservation areas, listed status, Article 4 directions, tree preservation orders, flood zone and planning history. We choose the right route and send a fixed quote.

    2. Measured survey

      We survey the house on one datum: rooms, levels, boundaries, drains, trees and the neighbours' windows that the 45° and 25° tests depend on.

    3. Design options

      We model the house in Revit and show you options in 3D and plan, with the planning strategy and the precedents in your street.

    4. Design frozen

      You choose an option in writing. Nothing changes after this without your say.

    5. Independent check

      A second chartered technologist checks every sheet against the council's validation checklist and the policy. A senior review signs it off before anything is submitted.

    6. Submission

      We prepare the forms, certificates, fee and documents and submit through the Planning Portal.

    7. Officer liaison

      We answer the planning officer and make any amendments within five working days, at no charge until approval.

    Free redraws until approval. Every drawing set is checked independently, and the checker is never the person who drew it.

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    Upper floors of a large yellow-brick Victorian house in London with chimney pots

    Brent's HMO guidance, test by test

    The Houses in Multiple Occupation SPD sets out five tests that matter to a drawing set. First, scope: permission has been needed for a dwelling to C4 HMO change from 1 November 2022, with exceptions for certain growth areas. If you are unsure whether your address sits in an exempt area, we confirm it at the free check.

    Second, concentration. An over-concentration is where 3 of the 10 nearest properties are HMOs, which echoes the Local Plan policy on HMOs. Third, access to transport: the guidance asks for a public transport accessibility level of at least PTAL 3. That is a map reading, so we look it up for your address and tell you before any layout work.

    Fourth, room sizes: 7.5m2 single; 11.5m2 double, excluding en-suites. Fifth, outdoor space: former houses should normally provide at least 20 m2 of ground-floor amenity space. Together these decide whether a layout is viable, so we test them in that order.

    Red-brick mansion blocks and shopfronts on a street corner

    Local figures for Brent

    Figures with their unit, period and source
    MeasureValuePeriodSource
    From 1st November 2022 planning permission is needed to change a dwelling to a C4 HMO across Brent, except the OPDC area, Church End Growth Area site allocations and the other seven Growth Areas.from 1 November 2022—brent.gov.uk, HMO SPD 2022, p.6, para 3.16
    An over-concentration of HMOs is where three or more of the ten nearest properties are HMOs (Local Plan Policy BH7 e).3 of the 10 nearest properties—brent.gov.uk, HMO SPD 2022, p.6, para 4.3; p.13
    HMOs must have a PTAL of at least 3.PTAL 3—brent.gov.uk, HMO SPD 2022, p.7, para 5.3
    HMO bedrooms must be at least 7.5m2 (2.15m wide) for one person and 11.5m2 (2.55m wide) for two, excluding en-suites.7.5m2 single; 11.5m2 double—brent.gov.uk, HMO SPD 2022, p.9
    HMOs in former houses should normally provide at least 20 m2 of ground-floor outdoor amenity space, plus extra space above 10 occupants.20 m2—brent.gov.uk, HMO SPD 2022, p.11, para 5.30
    Minor application decisions734 decisions1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications granted74.8 %1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Minor applications decided in time95.2 % decided within 8 weeks or an agreed extended period1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
    Tree preservation orders1,229 tree preservation orders published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Article 4 directions39 Article 4 directions published by the council—planning.data.gov.uk
    Domestic gardens share of land (GLUD 2005)30.3 % of land that is domestic garden (GLUD 2005)2005data.london.gov.uk
    Borough CIL residential rate£357.14/m² (Residential, Use Classes C3 & C4; schedule base rate £200.00/m²)rate for planning permissions granted in 2026 (permission year index 400, base index 224)brent.gov.uk

    A blank value means the figure has not been published, not that there are none. Check your own address with the council.

    Councils bordering Brent
    Building regulations, layer by layerPart A: structure: Approved Document A: Structure, 2004 edition incorporating 2004, 2010 and 2013 amendments. Part B: fire safety: All dwellings: fire detection and alarm system minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 (BS 5839-6), mains-operated smoke alarms to BS EN 14604. Part L: insulation: New elements in existing dwellings, limiting U-values W/(m²·K): roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, windows 1.4 (or WER Band B), doors 1.4. Part K: stairs: 2.0 m clear headroom over stairs. Full plans application: Building control body must decide a full plans application within 5 weeks, or longer if agreed in writingPart A: structurePart B: fire safetyPart L: insulationPart K: stairsFull plans applicationABCDE

    Building regulations, layer by layer

    The Approved Documents that shape most house projects, from structure to the application itself.

    A · Part A: structure
    Approved Document A: Structure, 2004 edition incorporating 2004, 2010 and 2013 amendments
    B · Part B: fire safety
    All dwellings: fire detection and alarm system minimum Grade D2 Category LD3 (BS 5839-6), mains-operated smoke alarms to BS EN 14604
    C · Part L: insulation
    New elements in existing dwellings, limiting U-values W/(m²·K): roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, windows 1.4 (or WER Band B), doors 1.4
    D · Part K: stairs
    2.0 m clear headroom over stairs
    E · Full plans application
    Building control body must decide a full plans application within 5 weeks, or longer if agreed in writing

    Designing bedrooms to the Brent figures

    The council's bedroom minimums are above the national floor. The national figures for sleeping rooms are: Sleeping rooms: at least 6.51 m² (one person over 10), 10.22 m² (two persons over 10), 4.64 m² (child under 10); floor under 1.5 m ceiling height not counted. Brent asks for 7.5m2 single; 11.5m2 double, so a room that satisfies the licence can still fall short for planning.

    The practical result is fewer rooms than owners first hope for. A house that works on the national numbers may support fewer rooms once Brent's sizes and the outdoor-space test are applied. We draw the plan both ways, so you can see the effect on rent before choosing.

    Shared spaces count too. Kitchens, bathroom ratios, doors and the staircase are drawn at the same time, with escape routes and alarm positions on the plan.

    Brent's decisions and what they suggest

    An HMO change of use is normally decided as a minor application. Brent decided 734 in the latest year, granted 74.8 per cent and decided 95.2 per cent in time. For householder cases the grant rate was 86.6 per cent across 879 decisions, with 97.2 per cent in time.

    Most minor decisions were made in time, so the evidence has to be in the submission on day one. We submit the design statement, the concentration count and the transport level together.

    Housing stock, trees and heritage in Brent

    43.3 per cent of Brent households live in a house or bungalow and 38.4 per cent own their home. Gardens cover 30.3 per cent of the borough, which bears directly on the outdoor-space test.

    The council has published 1,229 tree preservation orders, so we check protected trees against any bin store or rear access. There are 23 conservation areas and 39 Article 4 directions, and Historic England lists 93 buildings. Green Belt is absent, at 0 per cent.

    The council also publishes a basement guidance document, the Basement Supplementary Planning Document, which matters if you plan to add rooms below ground.

    Levies, licensing and next steps

    The borough charges £357.14/m² (Residential, Use Classes C3 & C4; schedule base rate £200.00/m²) for residential use including C4. The Mayoral levy is band 2, indexed to £72.73 per square metre for permissions granted this year. Licensing is separate: Licence required for an HMO occupied by 5 or more persons in 2 or more households.

    The application is built on planning drawings in Brent. If a refusal comes, see planning appeals in Brent. For self-contained units instead, see flat conversion drawings in Brent.

    We also draw HMO conversions in Barnet, and the borough overview is architectural drawings in Brent.

    Before we quote we look at the council's online register at https://pa.brent.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple, because earlier HMO decisions on your road show how the concentration and transport tests were applied in practice. We then survey, draw the layout both to the council's room sizes and to the national minimum, and a second chartered technologist checks every sheet. If officers ask for changes we redraw at no charge until approval, without promising the decision.

    What you receive

    Building regulations section drawing showing the construction build-up
    Sample drawing. Building regulations section showing construction build-up for a building control check.
    Pencil resting on a dimensioned technical drawing beside a scale rule
    Unit by unit
    Move up and down — the nearest units slide out.

    Other services in Brent

    HMO conversion drawings nearby

    Questions

    When did planning permission become necessary for HMOs in Brent?

    Planning permission has been needed to change a dwelling to a C4 HMO across Brent from 1 November 2022, except in the growth areas the guidance names.

    What transport level does Brent expect for an HMO?

    The guidance asks for at least PTAL 3. We look up your address before drawing.

    How big must HMO bedrooms be in Brent?

    The guidance gives 7.5m2 single; 11.5m2 double, excluding en-suites.

    Sources and dates

    City of London skyline glowing at dusk across the Thames under a dramatic orange sky

    Tell us about your property.

    We check the constraints, then send a fixed fee. Messages before 3pm get a reply the same working day.

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