Winchester has active HMO controls in parts of the borough.
Winchester operates designated-area Article 4 for HMOs (Stanmore + Chalk Ridge + Winnall — student belt and edge-of-city areas near the university). Outside these zones, permitted development for C3 → C4 still applies. Policy WIN9 of the Winchester Local Plan governs HMO assessments. National bedroom minima apply — no SPD-level override.
Permitted development rights from C3 to C4 may be removed in specific areas of Winchester. Check the council's Article 4 map against your target address.
Any HMO occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households requires a mandatory HMO licence from the council. Fines for unlicensed operation can exceed £30,000.
Standard national minimum bedroom sizes from the HMO Management Regulations 2018 apply.
These ratios are the council's expected baseline. Larger HMOs may need additional bathrooms and kitchen facilities — plan for at least one bathroom per 4–5 tenants in 6-bed schemes.
Enter your candidate postcode in Winchester (or anywhere else in the UK) and we’ll surface the precise licensing and Article 4 status that applies to that address.