Sutton Council is aiming to ensure developers wanting to turn family homes into multiple properties have to get planning permission first.

It’s after residents said they were concerned about the number of so called Houses of Multiple Occupancy popping up in the borough.

Councillors will discuss proposals to withdraw existing ‘permitted development’ rights across the whole borough for HMOs.

The existing permitted development rights were introduced by the Government in 2015.

They allow for the improvement and extension of homes without the need to apply for planning permission.

This includes houses being converted into Houses of Multiple Occupation without the consent of the council as the planning authority.