West Midlands
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
Free, occasional licensing updates only. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Additional licensing scheme for HMOs with 3 or more tenants from more than one household located in the designated wards of Paddock, Palfrey, Pleck, and St Matthews
Approved by Cabinet in October 2021. Scheme requires eight government-mandated licence conditions plus council-specific requirements including emergency lighting and appropriate fire-fighting equipment. A downloadable map and full street list of the scheme area are available on the council website. Property types covered: All HMOs with 3 or more tenants from more than one household not already subject to mandatory HMO licensing. Covers properties with 3 or 4 unrelated occupants sharing facilities (smaller than the 5+ threshold for mandatory licensing).. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties with 5 or more occupants from 2+ households are covered by mandatory HMO licensing rather than this scheme. Properties qualifying for statutory exemptions under the Housing Act 2004 are excluded..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Additional licensing scheme for HMOs with 3 or more tenants from more than one household located in the designated wards of Bentley & Darlaston North, Birchills Leamore, Blakenall, Darlaston South, and Willenhall South
Approved by Cabinet on 7 September 2022. The original planned operational date of 1 July 2023 was delayed. The council stated an alternative start date would be announced with more than 3 months notice to landlords. Kamma (August 2024) lists the scheme as running from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2026. A downloadable map and full street list of the Scheme 2 additional licensing area are available on the council website. Property types covered: All HMOs with 3 or more tenants from more than one household not already subject to mandatory HMO licensing. Covers properties with 3 or 4 unrelated occupants sharing facilities.. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties with 5 or more occupants from 2+ households are covered by mandatory HMO licensing. Properties qualifying for statutory exemptions under the Housing Act 2004 are excluded..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Borough-wide mandatory HMO licensing for all properties with 5 or more persons from more than one household sharing amenities, as required by national legislation
Required documents include: valid gas safety certificate, electrical installation report, fire detection/alarm certification, emergency lighting certificate, Energy Performance Certificate rated at least E, and property plans. Property types covered: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) occupied by 5 or more tenants from more than one household. Includes shared houses, bedsit accommodation, and mixed self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation meeting the threshold.. Exemptions or exclusions: Private registered providers of social housing are exempt from HMO licensing requirements. Properties below the 5+ occupant threshold may still require a licence under additional licensing if located in a designated ward..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Walsall Council consulted on selective licensing covering Willenhall and Walsall Town Centre areas from approximately 2017-2019. The scheme was put on hold following lobbying from the National Landlords Association (NLA) and Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The council never proceeded with selective licensing, instead focusing its efforts on additional HMO licensing schemes from 2022 onwards.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
27 March 2026
Research confidence
High (77/100)
Sources checked
11
Core data (mandatory HMO licensing, Scheme 1 additional licensing, selective licensing not in operation, fees, contact details) confirmed from official Walsall Council website pages. Scheme 2 details confirmed from both the official council website and Kamma (third-party, August 2024). The exact launch date for Scheme 2 carries some uncertainty as the council website noted the original 1 July 2023 start date was delayed, but Kamma lists it as running from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2026. Fee amounts for additional licensing (£990/£1,170) are from Kamma (August 2024) as the council's fee page did not show a separate table for 3-4 person properties. The public register page returned a 403 error so the most current download links could not be directly verified, but the register existence and March 2024 date are confirmed from search results.
The most recently confirmed available registers were dated 15 March 2024: Public Register of Licensed HMOs (393.08 KB PDF) and Public AL Register (244.66 KB PDF). An older register dated 9 March 2023 was previously available at https://go.walsall.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-03/Public%20Register%20of%20HMOs%20dated%209%20March%202023.pdf. The register page returned a 403 error during extraction, so the most current download links could not be confirmed.
Supporting sources
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.
Borough-wide mandatory HMO licensing for all properties with 5 or more persons from more than one household sharing amenities, as required by national legislation
Required documents include: valid gas safety certificate, electrical installation report, fire detection/alarm certification, emergency lighting certificate, Energy Performance Certificate rated at least E, and property plans. Property types covered: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) occupied by 5 or more tenants from more than one household. Includes shared houses, bedsit accommodation, and mixed self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation meeting the threshold.. Exemptions or exclusions: Private registered providers of social housing are exempt from HMO licensing requirements. Properties below the 5+ occupant threshold may still require a licence under additional licensing if located in a designated ward..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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