A landlord has submitted an application after they converted a terraced house in Watford into a HMO without permission.

The retrospective application for the two-storey property in Granville Road seeks backdated permission to accommodate five people in the four bedroom house.

The property owner said it would “deliver additional residential accommodation that contributes to meeting Watford's diverse housing needs,” according to the documents made public on Monday, September 30. 

“Significantly, the proposals would contribute to the overall supply of cheaper accommodation, providing a good standard of accommodation whilst ensuring the family sized housing is provided within the scheme,” they added.

The house has a lounge, shared kitchen and bedroom on the ground floor, as well as three more bedrooms on the first floor.

The layout of the four-bed property.The layout of the four-bed property. (Image: M C S DESIGN) The developer claimed the area has a mix of properties with alterations carried out over several years meaning there was “no one consistent character”.

Retrospective planning permission allows property owners to get approval for changes carried out without official consent.