Most of the cost and risk in an HMO is decided at the design stage. In Castle Bromwich we start by measuring every room and checking Solihull Council's position on licensing and planning, then build the specification around it.
We cover B36 and the neighbouring postcodes, with the same standards in Castle Bromwich as anywhere else in the West Midlands.
HMO rules in Solihull Council
| Rule | Solihull Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | Not confirmed |
| Selective licensing | Not confirmed |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | Proposed The council is exploring a direction for smaller HMOs; none in force when checked |
Checked October 2026 against Solihull Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Solihull Council has said it is exploring an Article 4 direction for smaller HMOs. None was in force when we checked. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. We couldn't confirm whether Solihull Council runs additional licensing, so we check with the council for the address.
Loft conversions for HMOs for Castle Bromwich landlords
Plenty of houses have roof space that could hold extra bedrooms, but in Castle Bromwich 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 Castle Bromwich 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.
- Planning and permitted development position checked first
- Alarm extended and doors upgraded on lower floors
- Structural design and building control application
- Updated floor plans for the licence file
- Headroom survey and countable floor area calculation