Burslem sits within Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which sets its own HMO standards for room sizes, kitchens and bathrooms. Our designs start from those standards, so the layout we price is designed to meet the council's licensing requirements.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Burslem isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
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 Burslem 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 prepare the planning application before any conversion work starts. 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.
How we handle HMO fire safety work in Burslem
We carry out HMO fire safety works in Burslem to a written specification taken from the fire risk assessment and the local council's HMO standards. That keeps the work proportionate, because a small two-storey house and a large three-storey one in Burslem rarely need the same measures.
Typical jobs in Burslem include fire doors with self-closers, interlinked alarms, emergency lighting and fire stopping of hidden gaps. Every job across Staffordshire ends with commissioning certificates, photos of concealed work and a logbook for routine tests.
- Fire stopping around pipes, cables, hatches and cupboards
- Emergency lighting where the escape route needs it
- Fire doors fitted with self-closers, seals and correct gaps
- Specification taken from the fire risk assessment and council standards
- Mains-wired interlinked smoke and heat detection
HMO fire safety works near Burslem
- Tunstall under a mile
- Hanley 1.7 miles
- Newcastle-under-Lyme 2.7 miles
- Stoke-on-Trent 2.8 miles
- Fenton 3.3 miles
- Kidsgrove 3.4 miles