Shared houses in Harborne need to satisfy Birmingham City Council's licensing team as well as building regulations. We plan for both from the first survey, which avoids rework later.
We cover B17 and the neighbouring postcodes, with the same standards in Harborne as anywhere else in the West Midlands.
HMO rules in Birmingham City Council
| Rule | Birmingham City Council |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licence (5+ people) | In force everywhere in England |
| Additional HMO licensing | In force Whole city, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028 |
| Selective licensing | In part of the area 25 of the city's 69 wards, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028 |
| Article 4 direction for small HMOs | In force Whole city, in force since 8 June 2020 |
Checked October 2026 against Birmingham City Council's HMO licensing page. Schemes change, so we confirm the position for your address before any work starts.
Birmingham City Council has an Article 4 direction across its whole area, so turning a family house in Harborne into a small HMO needs planning permission. We prepare the planning application before any conversion work starts. Seven or more occupants always needs planning permission. Birmingham City Council also runs additional licensing across its whole area (until 4 June 2028), so smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households need a licence too.
Void and turnaround refurbishment for Harborne landlords
We turn round empty HMO rooms in Harborne between tenancies: inspection, repairs, redecoration, a deep clean and safety checks, finished with photos you can use to advertise the room. Each job is quoted per room or per job after we have seen it.
Because tenants can now give notice at any point in the year, voids in Harborne are harder to predict. We agree standard finishes and a set checklist with landlords across the West Midlands, so a room can be put right without waiting on decisions.
- Deep clean of the room and nearby shared areas
- Completion photos ready for advertising the room
- Repairs, filling and redecoration to an agreed standard
- Gas safety and electrical report dates reviewed
- Fire door, closer and alarm checks
Void and turnaround refurbishment near Harborne
- Selly Oak 1.5 miles
- Bournbrook 1.5 miles
- Edgbaston 1.5 miles
- Smethwick 2.7 miles
- Northfield 2.9 miles
- Moseley 3 miles