Loft conversions for HMOs in the West Midlands

Across the West Midlands, our HMO loft conversion service follows the same approach: measured survey, council rules checked for the address, fixed written quote.

the West Midlands has 7 councils with HMO responsibilities, and their schemes are not the same. The table below shows what we found for each.

Designed around the local council's HMO standards

One team for build, compliance and lettings

Work by S&K and vetted subcontractors

Ask about a house in the West Midlands

Tell us about the property. We reply within one working day.

We plan each HMO loft conversion job in the West Midlands around the local council's amenity standards, which set out kitchen, bathroom and room-size requirements for shared houses.

Licensing and planning for HMOs in the West Midlands 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.

HMO rules across the West Midlands' councils

Council	Additional licensing	Selective licensing	Article 4 (small HMOs)
Birmingham City Council	In force Whole city, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028	In part of the area 25 of the city's 69 wards, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028	In force Whole city, in force since 8 June 2020
Coventry City Council	In force Whole city, 4 May 2025 to 3 May 2030	None found	In part of the area 11 wards, including Earlsdon, Foleshill, Lower and Upper Stoke, Radford, St Michael's and Westwood, since 30 September 2023
Dudley Council	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	In force Whole borough, since 15 September 2023
Sandwell Council	In force Whole borough, 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2029	None found	Proposed Cabinet approved an immediate borough-wide direction on 14 October 2026; not confirmed as in force when checked
Solihull Council	Not confirmed	Not confirmed	Proposed The council is exploring a direction for smaller HMOs; none in force when checked
Walsall Council	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)	None found	In force Whole borough, since 1 October 2025
City of Wolverhampton Council	Proposed The council is preparing a consultation on a scheme for smaller HMOs	Proposed The council is preparing a consultation on a scheme for designated areas	In force Whole city, since 14 September 2017

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 the West Midlands where we found an Article 4 direction for small HMOs in force, in all or part of their area: Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Dudley Council, Walsall Council, City of Wolverhampton Council. Article 4 directions are due to start or proposed in: Sandwell Council, Solihull Council. Additional licensing applies in all or part of: Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Sandwell Council, Walsall Council.

Loft conversions for HMOs for the West Midlands landlords

Plenty of houses have roof space that could hold extra bedrooms, but in the West Midlands we always measure the headroom first, because floor under a 1.5 m ceiling does not count towards room size. That tells you how many rooms the loft can really add.

A loft room usually creates a third storey, so we plan the protected escape route and alarm upgrades for the whole the West Midlands house, not just the new floor. We also check the occupant count, because seven or more residents needs planning permission anywhere in the West Midlands.

Alarm extended and doors upgraded on lower floors
New staircase and protected escape route
Updated floor plans for the licence file
Planning and permitted development position checked first
Headroom survey and countable floor area calculation

Towns we cover in the West Midlands

Questions about HMO loft conversion in the West Midlands

Do you supply fire doors and alarms as part of a conversion?

Yes. Fire doors, the alarm system and emergency lighting are specified to the fire risk of the house and included in the price, not added later.

What size must bedrooms be in an HMO in the West Midlands?

For licensed HMOs in England a room for one adult must be at least 6.51 square metres and a room for two adults at least 10.22 square metres. the local council may set additional standards, which we design to.

Can you convert part of a building above a shop in the West Midlands?

Often, yes. Flats above shops need extra attention to fire separation from the commercial unit, and we assess this at survey stage.

Does a converted HMO in the West Midlands need a licence?

Yes if five or more people from two or more households will live there, because mandatory licensing applies in every council in England. the local council may also license smaller HMOs, which we check for the address.