What is selective licensing?
Under selective licensing, you need a licence from the council before you rent out a home in a designated area. The council uses it to make sure rented homes there are safe and properly managed. Each licence comes with conditions, and you have to keep to them for as long as it lasts.
Birmingham's scheme covers 25 of the city's 69 wards. It started on 5 June 2023 and runs until 4 June 2028, unless the council ends it sooner.
Which Birmingham wards are covered?
These are the 25 wards named in the council's designation:
- Acocks Green
- Alum Rock
- Aston
- Balsall Heath West
- Birchfield
- Bordesley & Highgate
- Bordesley Green
- Bournbrook & Selly Park
- Edgbaston
- Gravelly Hill
- Handsworth
- Heartlands
- Holyhead
- Ladywood
- Lozells
- North Edgbaston
- Small Heath
- Soho & Jewellery Quarter
- South Yardley
- Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East
- Sparkhill
- Stockland Green
- Tyseley & Hay Mills
- Ward End
- Yardley West & Stechford
Ward boundaries don't follow postcodes, so two streets in the same postcode district can end up on different sides of a boundary. It's worth checking the exact address.
How to check if your property needs a licence
The postcode checker at the top of this page gives you a quick answer. It shows which ward the postcode is in and whether that ward is in the scheme.
To be certain, put the exact address into the council's ward checker, which tells you whether the property is in the scheme. If it is, the property needs a licence unless one of the exemptions applies.
The main exemptions are:
- HMOs that need an HMO licence (they're licensed under the HMO rules instead)
- homes let by a registered social landlord, such as a housing association
- homes managed directly by an educational establishment
- a few other tenancies the law exempts, listed in the Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006
If you're still not sure, ring the council's Private Rented Sector team on 0121 303 5070, or ask us and we'll check it for you.
HMOs: mandatory and additional licences
Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are licensed separately:
- Mandatory HMO licence: for five or more people from two or more households who share facilities like a kitchen or bathroom.
- Additional HMO licence: since 5 June 2023, smaller HMOs with three or four people from two or more households sharing facilities have needed a licence as well. The council charges £755 per property.
- Converted flats (section 257 HMOs): if a building was converted into flats that didn't meet the 1991 Building Regulations, and at least two thirds of the flats are rented, the whole building may need a licence.
You can't transfer an HMO licence, so if you buy a licensed HMO you'll need a new licence in your own name. For renewals, the council asks you to apply two months before the current licence runs out.
How much does a licence cost?
The council charges £700 for a selective licence, which lasts up to five years. An additional HMO licence is £755 per property. Mandatory HMO licences have their own fees, which the council publishes.
If you'd rather we did the paperwork, these are our fees. The council's own fee is always on top.
Preparing and submitting the council licence application for you. The council's own licence fee is extra.
Checking the property against its licence conditions and the housing health and safety rating system, with a written report.
Handling the renewal when a licence runs out, including the council's forms and documents.
What happens if you let without a licence?
Letting a licensable property without a licence is a criminal offence. According to Birmingham City Council, you may face:
- a civil penalty of up to £40,000
- prosecution, where the fine is unlimited
- a rent repayment order, where your tenants claim back rent they paid
Breaking a licence condition is an offence too. Councils also have stronger investigatory powers now, so it's much better to have the licence sorted before the council comes asking.
How we can help
We look after landlords across Birmingham, including in the licensed wards. We can tell you whether your property needs a licence and do the application for you. Before the council inspects, we can also check the property meets the licence conditions.
If you let more than one property, or you're not sure what else might have slipped out of date, start with a free Tenancy Health Check. We'll go through every property you let, licensing included.