Landlords in Brownhills deal with Walsall Council for licensing, planning and housing standards. We keep those three in view together, so a layout that suits the licence also works for planning and building control.
Quotes list each item of work, so you can see where the money goes and compare like for like.
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 check the planning history of the address as part of any licence work. 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.
HMO licence applications in Brownhills: what we do
Licensing rules for shared houses in Brownhills depend on the exact address. Mandatory licensing applies to every HMO with 5 or more occupiers, but additional or selective schemes can bring smaller houses into licensing too. We check which applies before preparing anything, so the application matches the scheme.
For landlords in Brownhills and across the West Midlands, we prepare the floor plan, collect the certificates and complete the council's form. We follow the application through to a decision, help with any draft conditions and keep a note of the renewal date.
- Council application form completed and checked
- Measured floor plan in the council's usual format
- Check of mandatory, additional and selective licensing at the address
- Licence holder, manager and fit and proper details prepared
- Help with draft conditions, renewals and variations