Shared houses in Brownhills need to satisfy Walsall Council's licensing team as well as building regulations. We plan for both from the first survey, which avoids rework later.
We can keep a photographic record of each stage, which is useful evidence when the council inspects or a buyer's surveyor asks questions later.
HMO rules in Walsall Council
| Rule | Walsall Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In part of the area Nine wards: Palfrey, Paddock, Pleck and St Matthew's (to 31 August 2027), and Bentley and Darlaston North, Birchills Leamore, Blakenall, Darlaston South and Willenhall South (to 30 June 2028) |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole borough, since 1 October 2025 |
Checked October 2026 against Walsall Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Walsall Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Brownhills into a small HMO needs planning permission. We prepare the planning application before any conversion work starts. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Walsall Council's additional licensing covers nine wards, including Palfrey, Paddock, Pleck, St Matthew's, Blakenall, Birchills Leamore, Darlaston South and Willenhall South, which doesn't include Brownhills, so the mandatory licence for five or more people is the main one to plan for there.
Communal kitchens and bathrooms for Brownhills landlords
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Brownhills, sized to the amenity standards the local council applies to the number of people in the house. Those standards differ between councils, so we check the current version for Brownhills before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Brownhills are chosen for heavy daily use: sealed worktops, wipe-clean wall panels, separate food storage and isolation valves on every fitting. Across the West Midlands, each kitchen gets the heat detection and fire blanket the fire risk assessment calls for.
- Layout sized to your council's amenity standards
- Heat detection and fire blanket where required
- Extract ventilation and certified electrical work
- Separate food storage space for each occupant
- Heavy-duty units, sealed worktops and slip-resistant flooring