Licensing and planning for HMOs in Worcestershire is handled by the district, borough, city or unitary councils, not one county-wide body. That's why the same house can need different paperwork depending on which side of a council boundary it sits.
In Worcestershire, as everywhere in England, a house with five or more people forming two or more households needs a mandatory HMO licence. Some councils go further with additional licensing or Article 4 directions, as the table shows.
HMO rules across Worcestershire's councils
| Council | Additional licensing | Selective licensing | Article 4 (small HMOs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bromsgrove District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Malvern Hills District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Redditch Borough Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Worcester City Council | In force Whole city, 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2030 | Not confirmed | In force Whole city, since 1 July 2014 |
| Wychavon District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Wyre Forest District Council | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Due to start Kidderminster only, due to start 20 February 2027 |
Checked October 2026. Mandatory licensing for five or more people applies in every council. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for the address before work starts.
Councils in Worcestershire where we found an Article 4 direction for small HMOs in force, in all or part of their area: Worcester City Council. Article 4 directions are due to start or proposed in: Wyre Forest District Council. Additional licensing applies in all or part of: Worcester City Council.
How we handle HMO licence application work in Worcestershire
Licensing rules for shared houses in Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire, 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
- Licence holder, manager and fit and proper details prepared
- Help with draft conditions, renewals and variations
- Measured floor plan in the council's usual format
- Check of mandatory, additional and selective licensing at the address