Sandwell Council is the licensing and planning authority for Wednesbury. We check its rules for the exact street before we draw a single partition.
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 Sandwell Council
| Rule | Sandwell Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole borough, 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2029 |
| Selective licensing | None found |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | Proposed Cabinet approved an immediate borough-wide direction on 14 October 2026; not confirmed as in force when checked |
Checked October 2026 against Sandwell Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Sandwell Council's cabinet approved an immediate borough-wide Article 4 direction on 14 October 2026. We could not confirm whether it has been made, so we check with the council before any change of use. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Sandwell Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (until 30 September 2029), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
How we handle HMO kitchen and bathroom work in Wednesbury
We design and fit communal kitchens and shared bathrooms for HMOs in Wednesbury, 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 Wednesbury before drawing anything.
Fittings for houses in Wednesbury 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
- Isolation valves on every fitting
- Heat detection and fire blanket where required
- Extract ventilation and certified electrical work
- Separate food storage space for each occupant
Communal kitchens and bathrooms near Wednesbury
- Darlaston 1.1 miles
- Bilston 2.1 miles
- Tipton 2.4 miles
- West Bromwich 2.6 miles
- Walsall 2.9 miles
- Willenhall 3.4 miles