Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Selly Oak 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 Selly Oak 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 Selly Oak 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.
How we handle HMO floor plan work in Selly Oak
Licence applications for HMOs in Selly Oak commonly need a floor plan showing room sizes, room use, fire safety features and amenities. We measure the house on site, check the format the council asks for and draw plans that match the property as it is today.
For landlords across the West Midlands, our plans also support planning applications, building control and fire risk assessments. If you have changed the layout of a house in Selly Oak, we can update existing plans before a renewal, variation or sale.
- Escape routes, final exits and shared amenities marked
- On-site measurement of every room and floor
- Room use and intended occupancy marked for each bedroom
- Fire doors, detectors, alarm panel and emergency lighting shown
- Floor areas in square metres, with 1.5 m ceiling exclusions
Student and sharer lets in Selly Oak
If the house in Selly Oak 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 floor plans near Selly Oak
- Bournbrook under a mile
- Harborne 1.5 miles
- Edgbaston 1.8 miles
- Stirchley 1.8 miles
- Bournville 1.8 miles
- Northfield 1.9 miles