Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Earlsdon we start by measuring every room and checking Coventry City Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
Work is carried out by S&K and vetted subcontractors working under S&K's supervision, so you contract with one company for the whole project.
HMO rules in Coventry City Council
| Rule | Coventry City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole city, 4 May 2025 to 3 May 2030 |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In part of the area 11 wards, including Earlsdon, Foleshill, Lower and Upper Stoke, Radford, St Michael's and Westwood, since 30 September 2023 |
Checked October 2026 against Coventry City Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Coventry City Council's Article 4 direction covers 11 wards across the city, including Earlsdon, Foleshill, Lower and Upper Stoke, Radford, St Michael's and Westwood, so turning a family house in Earlsdon into a small HMO needs planning permission. We check the planning history of the address as part of any licence work. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Coventry City Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (until 3 May 2030), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
HMO compliance audits for Earlsdon landlords
An audit of an HMO in Earlsdon 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 the West Midlands set their own HMO standards on top of the national rules. Our audits of houses in Earlsdon check against both, and we can quote for any work the report identifies once you have read it.
- Certificates and tenancy paperwork checked for gaps and dates
- Fire precautions and fire risk assessment reviewed
- Management Regulations 2006 duties checked on site
- Licence conditions checked against the house as it is
- Every bedroom measured, including the 1.5 m ceiling rule
Student and sharer lets in Earlsdon
If the house in Earlsdon is let to students or sharers, up-to-date certificates, measured plans and a current fire risk assessment make any council inspection more straightforward, and they are usually asked for with a licence application.