If the property is in Tunstall, the council that matters is Stoke-on-Trent City Council. We look up its current schemes for the address, note any conditions it usually attaches, and plan the work to suit.
Our team is based in Great Barr, Birmingham, about 36 miles from Tunstall. That keeps survey visits, site meetings and follow-up inspections easy to arrange.
HMO rules in Stoke-on-Trent City Council
| Rule | Stoke-on-Trent City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | Proposed A citywide scheme was proposed in August 2026, subject to consultation |
| Selective licensing | Not confirmed |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole city, immediate direction from 23 October 2026. It lapses unless the council confirms it within six months |
Checked October 2026 against Stoke-on-Trent City Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Tunstall into a small HMO needs planning permission. This is an immediate direction that took effect on 23 October 2026 and lapses unless the council confirms it within six months. We check the planning history of the address as part of any licence work. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Stoke-on-Trent City Council proposed a citywide additional licensing scheme in August 2026, subject to consultation, so smaller HMOs may need a licence in future.
Our HMO compliance audit service in Tunstall
An audit of an HMO in Tunstall checks the house the way a licensing officer would: room sizes, fire safety, amenities, certificates and paperwork. You get a written, prioritised fix list, so you know what needs doing before an inspection, renewal or purchase.
Councils across Staffordshire set their own HMO standards on top of the national rules. Our audits of houses in Tunstall check against both, and we can quote for any work the report identifies once you have read it.
- Written report with a prioritised, photographed fix list
- Every bedroom measured, including the 1.5 m ceiling rule
- Licence conditions checked against the house as it is
- Certificates and tenancy paperwork checked for gaps and dates
- Management Regulations 2006 duties checked on site
HMO compliance audits near Tunstall
- Burslem under a mile
- Hanley 2.4 miles
- Kidsgrove 2.8 miles
- Newcastle-under-Lyme 3.6 miles
- Stoke-on-Trent 3.7 miles
- Fenton 4.1 miles