HMO licensing in Birmingham — the 2026 update for landlords
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Coventry and Walsall all run different schemes. A 2026 quick-reference for landlords actively buying, converting or refinancing an HMO in the West Midlands.
We deliver around 30 HMO conversions a year across the West Midlands, so we see councils' licensing portals weekly. This is the short version of what landlords actually need to know in 2026 — focused on Birmingham, with quick notes on the surrounding boroughs.
The three licence types, in plain English
Mandatory licensing
National scheme. Applies to any property with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more households. Required everywhere — no opt-out. Around £1,100 in Birmingham for a five-year licence at time of writing. We bundle the application into every HMO conversion project.
Additional licensing
Local-authority extension that catches smaller HMOs (typically 3 or 4 people). Each council sets its own scope and fee. Birmingham's current additional scheme covers a defined list of wards; Wolverhampton's covers most of the city; Sandwell, Walsall and Coventry each run their own.
Selective licensing
Covers single-let rentals in specific designated areas. Doesn't apply to HMOs but worth knowing about if your portfolio mixes single-lets and HMOs in the same patch. Worth talking to us about during a pre-purchase viability survey.
Article 4 — the planning permission layer
Separate from licensing, and the bit most new HMO landlords miss. An Article 4 Direction removes the permitted-development right to convert a C3 dwellinghouse into a C4 small HMO without planning permission. Where Article 4 is in force, you need a full planning application before any conversion work begins, and the application can fail on amenity, parking, refuse provision or simply because the council judges the area saturated with HMOs.
Where applications fall down
- Fire risk assessment missing or out of date — councils want a written FRA dated within 12 months. We include one in every HMO project.
- Fire doors not FD30S-spec, not properly intumescent-strip-and-smoke-seal kitted, not self-closing
- Mains-interlinked LD2 alarm system not specified or not certified by a competent person
- Kitchen and bathroom provision not meeting the council's amenity standards (sinks per tenant, hob rings per tenant, etc.) — see our kitchen and bathroom build specs
- Refuse storage not shown on the floor plans (a refuse drawing is now standard in Birmingham applications)
Our process
Pre-purchase: free Article 4 + licensing viability check, then a paid full HMO viability survey if you go ahead (£480, refundable against works). Conversion: design, planning, fire safety spec, full strip-out and refit (often handled alongside our wider refurbishment service), licence pack handover. We currently deliver to Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall and Coventry portals; expanding to Stoke and Derby in late 2026. Book an HMO consultation to discuss your portfolio.