Private landlord advice

For an in depth explanation about HMO Licensing then please visit the official Sandwell Council HMO website. This will also allow you to apply for a HMO Licence.

If you rent out a property to 3 or more people who are not related, this is classed as a HMO. If the property has 5 or more people who are living in 2 or more households, this means that the property is a Licensable HMO and you should apply for a Licence. 

This is where people who are in a shared property (like students) or in bedsit style rooms, where each tenant may or may not know their neighbour.

To be classed as a HMO, the house has to have 3 or more people in 2 or more households sharing an amenity such as a kitchen, bathroom or both. For example 2 nurses share a house. This is NOT a HMO. However, if one of the nurses moves their boyfriend in, this would make it a HMO, as it has now become 3 people in 2 households. It is not, however, a Licensable HMO.

HMO's are currently only Licensable if there are 5 people in 2 or more households sharing amenities. 

What is a Household?

A household can be defined as:

• A single person
• A couple (applies to both married and non-married couples) 
• A family group

Children are also counted as a person, even if they are a toddler.