Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Halesowen we start by measuring every room and checking Dudley Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We'll tell you plainly if a house in Halesowen isn't suited to the number of rooms you have in mind, and what it would take to make it work.
HMO rules in Dudley Council
| Rule | Dudley Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | Not confirmed |
| Selective licensing | Not confirmed |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole borough, since 15 September 2023 |
Checked October 2026 against Dudley Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Dudley Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Halesowen 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. We couldn't confirm whether Dudley Council runs additional licensing, so we check with the council for the address.
How we handle HMO kitchen and bathroom work in Halesowen
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Halesowen, 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 Halesowen before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Halesowen 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
- Extract ventilation and certified electrical work
- Heavy-duty units, sealed worktops and slip-resistant flooring
- Isolation valves on every fitting
- Heat detection and fire blanket where required
Communal kitchens and bathrooms near Halesowen
- Rowley Regis 2.4 miles
- Brierley Hill 3.8 miles
- Oldbury 3.8 miles
- Dudley 3.8 miles
- Harborne 3.9 miles
- Stourbridge 4 miles