Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Bournbrook we start by measuring every room and checking Birmingham City Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Bournbrook isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
HMO rules in Birmingham City Council
| Rule | Birmingham City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole city, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028 |
| Selective licensing | In part of the area 25 of the city's 69 wards, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028 |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole city, in force since 8 June 2020 |
Checked October 2026 against Birmingham City Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Birmingham City Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Bournbrook 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. Birmingham City Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (until 4 June 2028), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
Our HMO fire risk assessment service in Bournbrook
Shared houses in Bournbrook need a fire risk assessment that reflects how the building is actually laid out. We assess the common parts and the escape route from every bedroom, then give you a written report with a prioritised action plan you can act on.
Councils and fire services covering the West Midlands commonly expect to see a current assessment, particularly at licence time. We review assessments for houses in Bournbrook after building work or changes in occupancy, and can price any works the action plan identifies.
- Reviews after building work, layout or occupancy changes
- Check of fire doors, alarms and emergency lighting
- Site visit covering common parts and every escape route
- Prioritised action plan with a reason for each item
- Written fire risk assessment report for you to keep
Letting to students and sharers in Bournbrook
If the house in Bournbrook 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.
HMO fire risk assessments near Bournbrook
- Selly Oak under a mile
- Harborne 1.5 miles
- Edgbaston 1.8 miles
- Stirchley 1.8 miles
- Bournville 1.8 miles
- Northfield 1.9 miles