Here is a summary of the scheduled meeting of the South Kesteven Council on Monday 13 October 2025. The meeting will include a public open forum and discussion of a notice of motion relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The notice of motion proposes a public consultation on introducing an Article 4 Direction[^2] across South Kesteven.

Notice of Motion: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Regulation

Councillor Sue Woolley has proposed a notice of motion concerning the regulation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) within South Kesteven. The motion acknowledges that currently, smaller HMOs (accommodating 3-4 occupants) can be established without requiring planning permission, which means there is no community consultation.

The notice of motion states that:

There is a widespread perception that HMOs cause overintensive use, noise disturbance, traffic problems, and negative impacts on property values.

The notice of motion also refers to the government's strategy of moving asylum seekers from hotels to HMOs, and states that this has tarnished this type of accommodation in the eyes of many residents.

The notice of motion proposes that the council resolves to commence a public consultation to determine if an Article 4 Direction should be introduced across South Kesteven. This would mean that all HMOs, regardless of size, would require planning permission, removing permitted development rights. The consultation would also consider establishing mandatory HMO licensing covering all HMOs, with standards for fire safety, room sizes, parking, noise management, and waste arrangements.

The notice of motion also proposes that a report on the consultation results be brought to the Full Council on 28 February 2026, for a decision on whether to make an Article 4 Direction.

Finally, the notice of motion proposes that the council immediately revoke the officer delegation to issue any HMO licences, assigning this responsibility to the appropriate committee. It also proposes that the current list of HMO properties and licence holders be added to the South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) website for transparency. The notice of motion states that Serco are the licence holders of 5 of these properties.

Public Open Forum

The agenda for the meeting of South Kesteven Council on Monday 13 October 2025 includes a public open forum, which is scheduled to last for a maximum of 30 minutes.