Our clients had owned a dwelling house for over 10 years and had undertaken various works, including extensions and conversion to a C4 HMO. This followed a planning application for conversion to an HMO being refused.
Very soon after the change of use occurred the Council added an Article 4 Directive preventing the conversion of houses into houses for multiple occupation, which would have required a planning application for a change of use.
Plande assisted our client in obtaining a lawful development certificate to confirm that the existing use as a C4 HMO. The timelines and evidence were such that a carefully presented justification was required to show that the extension works were completed before the use started, that more than 3 people were living independently in the property at the time of the Article 4 directive as well as that the use had commenced and continued for more than 10 years.
Ultimately the LPA accepted the evidence and the Certificate was issued accordingly allowing our client to raise finance accordingly.
