If the property is in Brownhills, the council that matters is Walsall Council. We look up its current schemes for the address, note any conditions it usually attaches, and plan the work to suit.
We cover WS8 and the neighbouring postcodes, with the same standards in Brownhills as anywhere else in the West Midlands.
HMO rules in Walsall Council
| Rule | Walsall Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In part of the area Nine wards: Palfrey, Paddock, Pleck and St Matthew's (to 31 August 2027), and Bentley and Darlaston North, Birchills Leamore, Blakenall, Darlaston South and Willenhall South (to 30 June 2028) |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole borough, since 1 October 2025 |
Checked October 2026 against Walsall Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Walsall Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Brownhills into a small HMO needs planning permission. We prepare the planning application before any conversion work starts. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Walsall Council's additional licensing covers nine wards, including Palfrey, Paddock, Pleck, St Matthew's, Blakenall, Birchills Leamore, Darlaston South and Willenhall South, which doesn't include Brownhills, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for there.
Our HMO en-suite installation service in Brownhills
We fit en-suite shower rooms in HMO bedrooms across Brownhills, starting with a check that each bedroom still meets its size standard once the en-suite is built. Councils take different views on whether en-suite floor area counts, so we confirm the local position first.
Older houses often have joists running the wrong way and soil stacks in fixed positions, so in Brownhills we check the drainage route under the floor before quoting. Every en-suite we fit in the West Midlands is finished with a ducted fan, certified electrics and fire stopping.
- Bedroom measured to confirm it still meets size standards
- Drainage route checked under the floor at survey
- Extract fan ducted to outside with overrun control
- Electrical work tested and certified
- Shower, toilet, basin and wipe-clean wall finish fitted