A property company which owns a terraced house raided by counter terrorism officers is asking for continued permission to use the house as a HMO for 13 occupants.

The accommodation provided at 13 St Paul’s Road is available to council tenants for temporary accommodation.

No Croydon council tenants are housed there but other local authorities are paying anywhere from £130 a week in rent to £300 a week (if housing a looked after young person) at  the Thornton Heath House of Multiple Occupation. The four bedroom house is owned by 35 BR Ltd which has three directors, including Gill Fielding, who appeared on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire.

Croydon council is aiming to make it harder for landlords to buy up period properties and convert them to HMOs by invoking Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning Order 1995 –  removing permitted development rights.

The planning application  from 35 BR Ltd says  it seeks to regularise the planning position for retrospective change of use from C1 bed and breakfast to a large HMO for 13.

To comment on the application click here: https://publicaccess2.croydon.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=P45B6YJLH6900

The house has six units on the ground, first and floors. Of these four of the rooms have en-suites and all tenants have shared access to a kitchen, a toilet and bathroom at first floor level.

In September a 17-year-old was arrested at the house and detained under  section 41 of the Terrorism Act but released without charge.

A letter to council planners states : “There have been no known complaints of noise or disturbance associated with the property which illustrates that the proposed use is acceptable and not harmful to residential amenity of neighbours.”