Sandwell Council is the licensing and planning authority for Wednesbury. We check its rules for the exact street before we draw a single partition.
Because we also manage and maintain HMOs, we design with day-to-day running in mind: hard-wearing finishes, sensible storage and layouts that keep shared spaces usable.
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 licence application work in Wednesbury
Licensing rules for shared houses in Wednesbury 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 Wednesbury 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.
- Help with draft conditions, renewals and variations
- Check of mandatory, additional and selective licensing at the address
- Measured floor plan in the council's usual format
- Council application form completed and checked
- Gas, electrical, alarm and lighting certificates collated
HMO licence applications 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