HMO Conversion Guide: Requirements and Costs in Solihull

By Get-Found | 7 September 2026
Quick answer: An HMO conversion in Solihull needs to meet licensing rules (mandatory for 5+ tenants, sometimes required for smaller HMOs depending on local schemes), may need planning permission for a change of use, and must meet fire safety and room-size standards. Costs vary by property, so a free quote based on your specific project is more reliable than a general figure.

An HMO, or House in Multiple Occupation, is a property that’s rented out to at least three tenants who are not from one household but share facilities such as a bathroom, kitchen or living area. Landlords across Solihull and the wider West Midlands convert standard houses into HMOs for one main reason: the numbers usually work better. Renting rooms individually to several tenants typically generates higher overall income than letting the same property to a single family, particularly in areas close to good transport links, town centres or workplaces.

But an HMO conversion isn’t as simple as adding a lock to a bedroom door and advertising the spare rooms. There are licensing rules to check, planning considerations, and specific safety and space standards that HMOs must meet. Getting any of this wrong can mean an unlicensed property, a failed inspection or an expensive redo. This guide sets out what you need to know before you start, and what typically affects the cost of a conversion in Solihull.

What Counts as an HMO

A property is legally classed as an HMO when it’s occupied by three or more tenants who form more than one household (in other words, they’re not all part of the same family or one another’s partners), and they share at least one basic amenity, such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Common examples include:

  • A house let room-by-room to a group of unrelated young professionals
  • A property let to a mix of students who aren’t all on the same tenancy
  • A converted house with several self-contained or semi-self-contained rooms sharing communal facilities

If a property meets this definition, it falls under HMO rules regardless of whether the landlord intended it to be one. This matters in Solihull, where converting a family home into shared accommodation for tenants is a common route for landlords looking to increase rental yield.

Do You Need a Licence

Whether your HMO needs a licence depends on its size and, in some cases, on local rules set by the council.

Mandatory licensing applies nationally to large HMOs: properties occupied by five or more tenants who form more than one household and share facilities. If your conversion falls into this category, a licence is a legal requirement regardless of where in the country the property is.

Additional licensing is where things get more localised. Many councils across the UK, including a number of London boroughs and other local authorities, run additional licensing schemes that extend licensing requirements down to smaller HMOs, typically those with three or four tenants. Whether such a scheme applies, and exactly what it covers, varies significantly from one council to another.

We don’t have confirmed details of Solihull Council’s current additional licensing position, and rules can change, so this is genuinely important: always check directly with Solihull Council’s licensing team before you proceed with a conversion, regardless of how many tenants you’re planning for. Operating an HMO without a required licence can result in significant penalties, so this step should never be skipped or assumed.

Planning Permission and Change of Use

Alongside licensing, you may also need planning permission. This is a separate matter from licensing and both need to be checked independently.

For smaller HMOs (broadly, up to six occupants), a change of use from a standard family home (use class C3) to a small HMO (use class C4) is sometimes covered by permitted development rights, meaning full planning permission isn’t always required. However, permitted development rights can be removed in certain areas through what’s known as an Article 4 Direction, which some councils use specifically to control the concentration of HMOs in particular streets or neighbourhoods.

For larger HMOs, or where permitted development rights have been withdrawn locally, full planning permission is generally required.

Because this varies by location and by the scale of what you’re planning, it’s worth checking with Solihull Council’s planning department before committing to a conversion, particularly if the property is in an area that might be subject to an Article 4 Direction. An experienced builder who has handled HMO projects locally can help you understand what’s likely to apply, though the council remains the authority on the final answer.

Building and Safety Standards Required

HMOs are held to a higher safety and amenity standard than a standard single-let property, reflecting the fact that more people, who aren’t part of one household, are living under the same roof.

Typical requirements include:

  • Fire safety — this generally includes fire doors to relevant rooms, interlinked smoke alarms, adequate fire escape routes, and in some cases fire-rated ceilings and enhanced compartmentation between rooms, depending on the size and layout of the property.
  • Room sizes — bedrooms used as sleeping accommodation need to meet minimum space standards, so room layouts often need reviewing as part of a conversion.
  • Kitchen and bathroom provision — the number of kitchens, bathrooms and toilets needs to be adequate for the number of occupants, which can mean adding facilities that weren’t previously required in a single-family layout.
  • General amenity standards — including adequate heating, natural light, ventilation and storage across shared and private spaces.

Building regulations approval is also generally required for the structural, fire safety and services work involved in an HMO conversion, separate from any planning permission needed. Because standards and their application can be specific to the property and to Solihull Council’s own requirements, it’s worth having a builder who understands HMO projects assess the property directly, rather than relying on generic assumptions.

What Affects the Cost of an HMO Conversion

There’s no single, fixed cost for an HMO conversion. What you pay depends heavily on the individual property and the scope of work needed to bring it up to standard. Factors that typically influence the cost include:

  • The starting condition of the property — an older or neglected property often needs more remedial work before HMO-specific upgrades can even begin.
  • The number of rooms being created — more bedrooms generally means more partitioning, more fire doors, more wiring and more finishing work.
  • Fire safety upgrades needed — the extent of work required to bring the property up to HMO fire safety standards varies significantly depending on the existing layout and construction.
  • Kitchen and bathroom facilities needed — adding extra bathrooms or a second kitchen to meet occupancy requirements adds plumbing, drainage and electrical work.
  • Structural changes — some conversions involve reconfiguring internal layouts, which can require structural alterations on top of general refurbishment.

Because every property and every project scope is different, we’d always recommend getting a free quote based on a proper assessment of your specific property rather than relying on a generic figure that may not reflect what your conversion actually needs.

Why Work With an Experienced HMO Builder

HMO conversions sit at the intersection of building work, fire safety compliance and regulatory requirements, so it helps to work with a builder who understands all three, not just the construction side. A contractor who has handled HMO projects before will know what building control and licensing officers typically look for, which reduces the risk of costly rework after the fact.

It also matters that the work itself is done properly. Fire doors, escape routes, partition walls and additional bathrooms all need to be installed to a standard that will hold up to inspection, not just look finished on the surface. Choosing an FMB-registered, fully insured builder gives you a level of accountability and quality assurance that’s particularly important on a project where compliance is non-negotiable.

About HK Builders

HK Builders Ltd is a family-run, FMB-registered building company based in Solihull, with more than 20 years of experience serving Solihull and the surrounding West Midlands, including Dorridge, Knowle, Shirley, Sutton Coldfield, Harborne, Moseley, Coventry and Redditch. We’re fully insured and rated 5.0 stars from 10 Google reviews.

Alongside HMO conversions, we carry out house extensions, loft conversions, new builds and general renovations, so we can advise on the full scope of a project, whether that’s reconfiguring a property’s layout, adding an extension to create additional rooms, or upgrading existing spaces to meet HMO requirements.

If you’re considering an HMO conversion in Solihull, get in touch for a free quote. Call 07393 194 336 or email info.hkbuilders@gmail.com.

Call 07393 194 336Get a free quote

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an HMO and a standard rental property?
A standard rental property is let to a single household, such as one family or a group who are all part of the same tenancy as a single unit. An HMO is let to three or more tenants who form more than one household and share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, which brings the property under additional licensing, safety and space standard requirements that don’t apply to standard single lets.
Do I need a licence for a small HMO with three or four tenants in Solihull?
It depends on whether Solihull Council operates an additional licensing scheme covering smaller HMOs. Mandatory licensing applies nationally to large HMOs with five or more tenants, but requirements for smaller HMOs vary by council. You should check directly with Solihull Council’s licensing team to confirm what applies to your property before proceeding.
Do I need planning permission to convert a house into an HMO?
It depends on the size of the HMO and whether the area has an Article 4 Direction removing permitted development rights. Smaller HMOs can sometimes be converted without full planning permission, while larger HMOs generally require it. Because this varies by location, check with Solihull Council’s planning department before starting work.
How much does an HMO conversion cost in Solihull?
Costs vary significantly depending on the property’s starting condition, the number of rooms being created, the fire safety upgrades needed, and the extent of additional kitchen and bathroom facilities required. There is no fixed figure that applies to every property, which is why we recommend a free quote based on an assessment of your specific project.
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